Elliott has lived in her home on Fremont Place for about nine years and is tired
of prostitutes, vandalism and drug use she sees in the north central Battle
Creek neighborhood.
"It has been increasing recently, and this year it has just heightened," she
said. "It's kind of disheartening and I think now I am going to sell my house."
Elliott watched as Battle Creek police on Wednesday conducted an undercover
sting operation, first to arrest three women on charges of solicitation of
prostitution, and then four men on similar charges.
A fifth man was arrested after he threatened two undercover female officers
posing as prostitutes. Police said that man was a pimp protecting territory for
his women.
Several of the people also were charged with possession of drugs. The men
seeking prostitutes also had their vehicles seized and had to pay a minimum of
$500 to have them returned.
"The residents have been struggling with that issue (prostitution), and we have
seen a lot of new faces up there," Commander James Saylor of the Battle Creek
Police Department said Thursday. "That is a solid neighborhood and that is what
we don't want to see happen to that area."
The sting is the latest in an effort by police to control prostitution in the
central section of Battle Creek along Capital Avenue.
Detective Sgt. Todd Madsen said police have received reports that prostitutes
are more aggressive, approaching possible customers and in some cases even
climbing inside vehicles.
Lori Sullivan, who has lived on Frelingheysen Street for about a year, said the
area around her house is busy with prostitution.
An organizer of a new neighborhood watch, Sullivan said she sees the peak times
from 6 to 8 a.m., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 9 p.m.
"And we have customers who come looking for the same girl and make 30 to 40
loops," she said. "We see the same cars with the same license numbers."
Saylor said customers of prostitutes can be brazen. One of the men arrested
Wednesday, after offering an undercover officer money for sex, had a young
child asleep in a car seat.
"I wish I could tell you it shocks me, the risks that these guys are willing to
take," Saylor said.
Prostitution increases the risk of sexually transmitted disease, violence, and
drugs, he said.
"And those are all things you do not want in your neighborhood," Saylor said.
"That is why it is very dangerous to let it get a strong hold in a
neighborhood."
He said arrests might slow but won't end the practice.
"We can't operate in a vacuum. This is just complementing other efforts," he
said.
A new organization, STOP, started work last year to encourage legal pressure,
education and other support programs for people involved in prostitution.
"We are glad to see (the stings)," said Rev. Chris Yaw, chairman of STOP, or
Supporting Those Oppressed by Prostitution. "As we go out, people tell us that
it is a problem. So we support this action and want to be a resource for the
city to put people someplace other than jail."
Saylor said the women will be recommended for B-SAFE, or Beat Sexual
Solicitation and Forbid Exploitation, a program announced last week and run
through the Calhoun County Drug Court. Successful completion will eliminate a
conviction.
Sullivan said the city has to do more, including using a padlock law to close
homes and apartments used for prostitution.
When the city first used the padlock law several years ago to close a drug
house, the case was thrown out on a legal challenge.
"It was dismissed but the city has not tried it again, which frustrates me,"
Sullivan said.
Saylor said city officials have been working on the padlock law and at least
two houses have been targeted by police as possible targets.
"We are moving forward on the padlock law," Saylor said. "We had some
deficiencies but we are ready to go with that."
Saylor said the department will continue efforts to curtail prostitution.
"We will continue to be out there," he said, "this is not a one time thing."
Sullivan hopes that is true because she is tired of hookers on street corners,
people selling drugs and other behaviors that harm the image of the
neighborhood.
"We have had people urinate in our flower beds, and it's frustrating to work 12
hours and then have some crackhead whiz in your petunias."
