Editorial: Saturday’s Violence In Downtown Saratoga Springs Should Spur Bold and Decisive Action From City Leaders
Reports of a stabbing and subsequent gunfire in downtown Saratoga Springs in the early morning hours Saturday is disconcerting to say the least. It goes without saying that the city should ensure all available resources are utilized to complete a swift investigation – which ideally will result in timely arrests of the suspects involved.
These crimes, occurring just a few weeks before the city’s population will swell with track attendees, must result in city leaders enacting proactive initiatives to ensure this type of violence does not recur. Commissioner Robin Dalton called a press conference for 10am (corrected -11am) Monday morning, so there’s reassurance that our leaders recognize the need for bold and decisive action. The public safety aspect of these brazen acts is enough to raise alarm, but with Saratoga being a mecca for tourists, especially those escaping downstate for Saratoga’s beauty and laid-back atmosphere, there is an economic development concern to this as well. “Bucolic” and “gunshots” don’t go well together, do they?
The city should not conduct the investigation or plan for future strong late-night police presence alone. The New York State Police, the State Park Police, and the County Sheriffs Department all have vast resources and plenty of well-trained officers to supplement our terrific, but size-limited, city police force. We expect that the NYS Liquor authority is fulfilling its duties and ensuring local bars, which are often where the preludes to street violence occur, are complying with regulations. This problem calls for comprehensive solutions from all levels of government.
The sad reality is that stabbings and shots fired are commonplace in larger cities like Albany and Schenectady. That is part of a bigger problem that we all have a stake in, but Saratoga’s leaders and its citizenry should not stand for any continuation of what occurred here Saturday morning. What happened then should be a prominent issue in this fall’s city elections. We should never get used to stabbings and gunfire in our beautiful and wonderful city. This year’s political candidates, if they wish to be successful, will give voters confidence that they can address the problems at hand.
