COMMUNITY POLICING/REVITALIZING MAIN STREET

More police in the community equals a higher quality of life. It is a tried and true formula and one that Rep. Atsalis has fought for and once again made a reality.

The town of Barnstable and Yarmouth, the first and third most populous on the Cape, have been growing into a "cities" for a number of years. With that growth comes many of the attendant problems of any heavily-settled area. One of the problems is a rise in crime. Rep. Atsalis has secured $440,000 for Barnstable over the past four years, and $52,000 for Yarmouth last year, the first year he has represented Yarmouth.

The Community Policing program is designed to combat rising rates by breaking down the barriers that can exist between the police and citizens. It creates situations where police officers and citizens can get to know one another and work together to bring about safer and healthier communities. Some of the programs include:

• Juvenile Police Academy – designed to acquaint teens with the police in a non-threatening atmosphere.
• Bike patrols – patrolling on bicycles allows police officers to make closer personal contact with citizens.
• Night Lights Program – police work closely with parole and probationofficers to check upon repeat offenders
• Barnstable Police Sub-Station – allows a police presence on Main Street that creates a safe and inviting environment for Cape citizens to bring their families.

This is the fifth consecutive year that Rep. Atsalis has obtained funds for these programs.

"One of the issues that keep popping up when I talk to people is that of safe streets," Rep. Atsalis said. "Main Street in Hyannis was particularly suffering because vagrants and loiterers created an unsafe atmosphere in the minds of many families and seniors. In fact, many of the business on Main Street urged public officials to do something because the situation was hurting their businesses."

Safe streets tied in with Rep. Atsalis’s campaign promise of revitalizing Main Street in Hyannis. Since becoming State Representative, Rep. Atsalis helped secure a $3 million public works economic development grant to renovate and upgrade the road and sidewalks, and $200,000 to renovate and upgrade the JFK Museum.

Rep. Atsalis was also on the forefront to get the Town of Barnstable to duplicate Boston’s outdoor dining policy to help give more open, relaxing and attractive atmosphere to Main Street.