Last week, we learned that a giant mob ransacked Nordstrom in downtown Walnut Creek while it was open, stealing hundreds of thousands in merchandise while terrorizing employees and shoppers. In response, the Walnut Creek City Council has authorized $2 million dollars to hire more officers, install security cameras, and even “flying a tether drone over Broadway Plaza” according to this NBC Bay Area article.
Does anyone remember when the Broadway Plaza remodel was in planning stages and they wanted to convert the street to pedestrian-use and were rejected? Does anyone regret that decision now?
Would money be better spent on monitoring and surveillance so police could be made aware before mobs strike? Could Contra Costa county organize a strike force that could be called in by local cities to fortify existing police departments during potential mob scenarios? It seems like social media has changed what’s going on and more creative solutions need to be developed than simply hiring a few more police officers and flying a drone. What should Walnut Creek do to protect downtown businesses and shoppers?