LETTER: Chatham needs help

Hard to have compassion in the face of violence, destruction

Editor: I’ve been hesitant on writing this, but I need to share the reality of our changing city.

Chatham.

I’ve worked downtown for the last 12 years, but in the last year, I’ve never seen anything like what we have to deal with on a daily basis.

This isn’t just the reality for the local businesses; this is the reality for those who live in the area too.

In the last seven days, I’ve had:

• A homeless man try to lock himself into the business bathroom. When I told him he wasn’t allowed to use our facilities, he came forward at me with his private parts exposed, and pushed past me.
• An individual openly smoke meth out front and refuse to leave because he knew the police wouldn’t do anything.
• An altercation with an individual who refused to leave the premises, who has a police-filed trespass order, which resulted in my life being verbally threatened.
• Someone acting in distress in the middle of King Street, while I was walking to my vehicle, only for them to advance to my car rapidly, racing me to my security.

Fortunately, I was able to lock myself in my vehicle while this female kept trying to sway me to open my door. I did not.

The majority of these negative interactions are from homeless, addicted or mentally ill individuals.

I’d love to be compassionate, sympathetic and humane to those who need help, but, unfortunately, because of the amount of violence and destruction I see first hand, I am not.

Chatham needs help. Downtown needs help.

I’d like to add this is happening everywhere in Chatham, as you see the police briefs. This isn’t an isolated downtown issue.

Kristy Cons

Chatham