Letter to editor: Underneath beautiful facade Beaufort is full of crime, mayor promotes appearance over safety
Letter to editor
Underneath beautiful facade Beaufort is full of crime, mayor promotes appearance over safety
I have made Beaufort my home for more than 35 years now. As a matter of fact it has been 38. I was born and raised here as the first child born in Beaufort in 1972. Over the years I have been more than proud to show off the town I call home. Much of this is due in part to the fact that for more than three decades Beaufort has been a serene, peaceful town on the beautiful Beaufort River.
Countless tourists flock to our area each year to bask in the beauty that is my home. They enjoy the scenery, friendly hometown atmosphere, and local festivals. We are a unique town in and among itself. And that is the appearance that Mayor Keyserling and the local police force, city and county, wants everyone to see. They do not want to mar our record as being one of the most highly recommended areas to go on vacation.
Well, I am here to tell you that underneath this beautiful facade, Beaufort has become like every other city in America. We are not immune to crime. It has become a growing concern for everyone in this town.
Over the past decade I have noticed an increase in the amount of crime. Much of this crime has been in the more rural areas of Beaufort. However, in the past few years crime has spread to all parts of Beaufort. There has not been a part of the town that has not been affected.
I personally have been impacted by this criminal activity. Mr. Aimar is co owner of a boat docked at the downtown marina. The other portion of the boat is owned by two members of my family. When this boat was vandalized it not only affected Mr. Aimar, but it affected my family as well.
At one time we were able to freely visit our boat. Now we must lock it up so that nothing happens to the items stored there. I can no longer take my child downtown to enjoying an evening at the marina. I do not even want to take him to play at the park for fear we will run into some individuals that have caused the trouble.
Much to my dismay there has been little to no recourse for any of the negative activity downtown. It has escalated to events that have resembled riots. Rival gangs in the Beaufort area have been said to have caused this activity. Things have gotten so out of hand it has even become physical. And what does the city have to say about all of this activity? As far as I can tell, nothing has been said.
If it were not for the citizens of Beaufort reporting what is going on I am not sure we would know anything. Our mayor and his police force seem to want to keep everything quiet. They do not want anyone to know what is going on. They would rather make excuses and cover things up instead of addressing the real issues.
Mr. Aimar’s account of his meeting with our local officials is proof that our government thinks more about its appearances and its revenue than the safety and well being of the residents and tourists. If they continue with this attitude they are not going to have to worry about their appearances or their revenue, because there will not be any. If I were trying to decide on a place to visit I would not want to go somewhere that I felt the local officials did not care about the safety of the people in their town.
I understand that there is no perfect city that has no criminal activity. If it exists I would like to visit. Then I could see what they are doing to make their town better than ours. I would then show our government how it is done.
There is no definitive answer for solving the criminal issues in Beaufort. It is going to take an effort from not only the citizens but the officials as well. You cannot hide the truth from everyone and expect them cooperate when you ask them to take responsibility for what is occurring in the downtown area. It is appalling to think that the people who are supposed to be protecting us are unwilling to compromise to find a solution to the growing problems in our community.
The lack of security downtown is not only the responsibility of the citizens, but our government as well. It is understandable that there needs to be a neighborhood watch program downtown. I am sure with the proper guidance the downtown residents and purveyors would be happy to cooperate. The police presence, or lack thereof, does not help with this matter. Minimal patrols and lack of response lends evidence to the fact that our officials think little to nothing about our safety. I am sure there could be a way to reassign officers and adjust patrol routes to increase coverage in the higher criminal areas. This whole issue is a matter of give and take on the parts of all parties involved.
To achieve satisfaction for all involved some changes need to be made. Our officials need to understand that the citizens of Beaufort like to be well informed. Reporting activity in the local news and online papers will heighten our awareness. It helps to know why or why not as well when crimes are not solved and security is not increased. Having this information will provide for the peace of mind of everyone involved.
We just want to know that our government hears our concerns and is doing what it takes to address them. Mr. Aimar’s concerns are not unwarranted. He has every right as a concerned citizen to know that our government is keeping him safe. Being given excuse after excuse as an explanation of our current situation downtown is a sign that our government officials do not want to take responsibility for their actions or lack thereof.
As a longtime resident of Beaufort I am ashamed to say that the town I have always been proud of has chosen appearance over safety where their citizens are concerned. As I said before, there will be no appearance or revenue to worry about if there is no one around to enjoy it or produce it.
Allison Pelfrey
Beaufort SC
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- Beaufort Police Department issues semi-annual crime statistics, crime way down
Comments
2 Responses to “Letter to editor: Underneath beautiful facade Beaufort is full of crime, mayor promotes appearance over safety”
The first step in solving a problem is to admit it exists.
A crime watch group is one solution for residential neighborhoods, but the Bay Street business district and Chambers Park have few residents to form and maintain block watches. There really needs to be another solution, public and/or private.
Residents and visitors should not have to be the primary resource for security in the park, walkways and sidewalks of Bay Street and downtown shops and restaurants.
Perhaps the projected cost savings and revenue increases from the new parking system could be used to put more police resources in that area to patrol and make their presence know to those who would cause trouble.
Just in case somebody wonders, I don’t mean adding personnel to monitor parking spots.
This was the worst summer of my life. My husband, Bruce, and I were robbed in broad daylight five times off Eddings Point Drive on Pilot House Lane in a short matter of three months. Sheriff Tanner’s deputies on St. Helena knew who robbed us, but just can’t seem to catch the criminals. We have a long laundry list of expensive items taken that will never be recovered. We feel two or three young half-brothers with a half sister have taken our belongings. I have been collecting Lenox’s Thirteen Original Colonies Christmas plates since I wss small. Our robbers even took them–I know they will become fine decorations for someones family holidays. About the only thing of value that these thugs could not get was my husband’s gun cabinet that weighs about 1,000 pounds.The police did a wonderful job dusting for fingerprints–the charcoal dust has ruined the upolstery on old family pieces. Our living room reminds me of the dirty insides of a Webster charcoal grill.
In the meantime, Mr. Tanner continues winning awards and hosting golf tournaments.
Our boat parts were taken several years ago off the dock.
Allison Pelfrey is correct.