WEST PALM BEACH, Fla.- Genevieve Komraski has called downtown West Palm Beach home for 10 years.
For the most part, she says her experience living there has been positive, but at night she finds herself looking over her shoulder.
"We've had a couple of break-ins in the garage," she said. "Having someone that could walk you out to the car or escort you would definitely be a value for sure," Komraski said.
What she doesn't know is that option already exists.
"We've definitely been trying to bump up our information about our security program and provide the details to not only our residents but our visitors as well," Teneka Feaman said.
Feaman is the associate director of the Downtown Development Authority. She says for years they've operated the Security Ambassador Program which provides a security escort to walk you to your car, home or one of the parking garages downtown.
"We've added more hours additional detail and it's an amazing opportunity to have a satellite office for our security ambassadors," Feaman said.
Recently the city decided to take it one step further.
"With the two working together we try to make this place as secure as we possibly can," West Palm Beach Parking System Administrator Ed Davis said.
He said each parking garage downtown has its own security escorts.
"It allows the PSC (private) security that their presence on the street isn't compromised by having to come into the garage," he said.
Davis says they're also in the process of adding additional lighting and updating security cameras.
"I've enhanced security a lot more than it was, we noticed at the time even though it was here we could do a better job with security," Davis said.
For a security escort within the city's garages, you can contact Giddens Security at 561-818-4649.
For an on-street escort, you can contact PSC at 561-818-3667.
DDA SECURITY AMBASSADOR PROGRAM
The Downtown Development Authority introduced regular Public Safety Guides in the Clematis District to provide Downtown patrons with an on-the-street information resource and extra, customer-friendly police presence to minimize nuisance issues and make everyone’s experience the best it can be. Easily identifiable in bright yellow shirts, these guides are happy to provide directions to restaurants or shops. If you need assistance of any kind while visiting Downtown, don’t hesitate to ask one our guides for help!Hours
Sunday – Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Thursday – Saturday from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m.
If you require assistance, please call dispatch at (561) 818-3667.This information from the West Palm Beach Downtown Development Authority
