Neighborhood residents echo woes

      Residents and employees in Meadows Village on Wednesday echoed the mayor's concerns that a decrease in police presence has led to more crime in the neighborhood behind the Stratosphere in recent months.
      "We want more police and more patrols," said Francisco Irias, director of the "Yes We Can Learn" English as a Second Language program offered at the Stupak Community Center, 300 W. Boston Ave.
      Las Vegas Mayor Jan Jones railed at the Police Department, saying Tuesday that crime in the neighborhood is "out of control."
      Irias and others spoke out at a news conference Wednesday held outside the center in Meadows Village.
      Described as the "heart of the neighborhood," the center caters to more than 300 people who are trying to learn to speak English and provides thousands more with other services, Irias said.
      He reflected on the center's five years of existence and acknowledged that crimes have always occurred. But, he said, fewer incidents happened when a Metropolitan Police Department bike squad patrolled the area.
      In February 1996, the bike squad, which was funded through the federal Weed and Seed program, was pulled from the area. The federal program is geared toward improving communities and implementing programming for at-risk youths.
      "The crime rate has increased dramatically (without the squad)," Irias said. "I don't think that people are actually aware that there is a crime wave, but they know there have been killings and it's very bad."
      Capt. Frank Barker, who oversees the downtown police substation, which responds to the Meadows Village, acknowledged the crime in the area. But he said calls for service to the area for shootings, drug sales, robberies and other crimes were down 18 percent last month compared with last February.
      Barker denounced claims that police had pulled out of the area at the news conference.
      He referred to Weed and Seed funds that were used over the summer, despite removal of the bike squad in February.
      "When the citizens are concerned about the crime rate, we are concerned about it," Barker said.
      Police have tried implementing a Neighborhood Watch program, to which Irias said there was limited response. Residents' reluctance was not because of disinterest, but out of fear for their lives, Irias explained.
      The Police Department won a ballot issue in November to hire 450 more officers. Barker said he anticipates that could mean more police coverage in Meadows Village.