safety on the Hill

The one time family home of JonBenet Ramsey in the University Hill district of Boulder, CO was once again the center of controversy due to violence and safety issues. This time due to vandalism and violence over UC football game weekends. The Hill is a little bit sleepy and quaint as an upscale family neighborhood, intermixed with frats and sororities, student housing, churches and commercial business.

Residents expressed their serious concerns as Boulder Police Chief Beckner's reaction to the game day disorder in one breath stated his department takes the situation seriously and in the next breath claimed these events were routine, normal. Giving Beckner the benefit of a potential media misquote in the article below could be a challenge for some, considering some of the statements and actions (or lack of them) regarding JonBenet's case, one of if not not the most violent on the Hill; certainly the most famous. This article doesn't exactly demonstrate a sense of confidence in safety from the affected residents--

Boulder residents press for more enforcement on Hill
Article in the Daily Camera, Boulder CO
by Erica Meltzer

"Fed-up University Hill residents asked police Wednesday night to crack down on loud, drunken students and demanded to know what the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado plan to do to prevent property damage and violence during this weekend's football game....

The neighborhood meeting was called after a night of loud parties and vandalism Friday -- a night which long-term Hill residents are describing as one of the worst they have experienced that wasn't a riot but which police have characterized as a normal back-to-school weekend night with some "criminal mischief."

More than 50 people filled the community room of Grace Lutheran Church to vent their frustration. The city of Boulder and CU sent top officials, including Boulder Police Chief Mark Beckner, CU Vice Chancellor Frank Bruno and CU Police Chief Joe Roy.

Beckner told residents the department takes problems on the Hill seriously. Of 35 to 40 officers on patrol on a given night, 18 to 20 are assigned to the Hill. The department also increases patrols for the first three weekends back to school. He said some of the information being shared about Friday night was exaggerated...

"This was a serious incident and a violent incident," Hill resident Steve Morgan said. "We feel put on notice. We don't feel safe. We want to know what's going to happen this weekend after the game."



University Hill photo: Adain Grey