RUTLAND, Vt. (WCAX) – Rutland officials say a recent effort to encourage residents to report properties with suspected drug activity is having some success in helping police shut them down.
“Meadow Street’s got a couple houses. Almost every street’s got a couple houses,” said James Traynor, a Rutland resident who is among those saying what many locals already know. “You can see something that’s bad. It just sticks out like a sore thumb.”
They are homes that authorities say are being used for drug activity. Shutting them down is a priority for Rutland Mayor Mike Doenges. “Rutland’s always been a place where people, where we grew up and we said, ‘Oh, we can always play outside.’ And I think people aren’t feeling that way right now, and for good reason,” Doenges said.
The city launched its Neighborhood Stabilization Initiative last year, where residents are asked to call police when they suspect drug dealing at a home. Officers will investigate depending on the quantity or substance of those calls.
“We need to get these streets operating in a normal fashion where people are respecting their neighbors, it’s not chaos. It’s in everybody’s interest, not just the police department,” said Rutland Police Commander Matthew Prouty.
Police say the number of tips have increased and four houses have been shuttered so far, the most recent two on Meadow and Plain Streets. Theys say officers work with the city to assess living conditions to either shut down or renovate certain properties to deter recurring use. “We’re looking for co-violations — building and zoning violations. We may need to use the muscle of DPW to help beautify the area,” Prouty said.
Residents like Traynor say they see the problems every day and that even just a few bad properties can make the issue feel bigger than it is. He urges his neighbors to be a part of the solution. “Everybody should be proactive if you live in Rutland, and by and by that way, by sheer number, we can correct a lot of the problems,” he said.
The mayor says they’ve already located another problem spot that will be investigated thanks to local residents.