By Talia Kaplan
St. Louis, MO (KSDK)- Another weekend, another strategy by St. Louis police to curb crime on Washington Avenue.
For two weekends, police have been increasing patrols but, they still haven't hit on a permanent plan.
This weekend, between 10 p.m and 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, St. Louis police will block off Washington Avenue to car traffic. The department also says police will be checking I.D.'s and won't let anyone under the age of 21 passed the barricades.
Even though police have been increasing patrols, just last weekend, there was a shooting at the corner of Tucker and Convention.
Brendan Sullivan was asked by his brother, who manages a bar on Washington Avenue, to work security last weekend. Police recommended all businesses along Washington Avenue hire their own security.
Sullivan claims police checking I.D.'s at the barricades, like they did last Saturday, didn't help a bit. But, people who live on Washington Avenue say they seek comfort in the crackdown.
"At about 1 a.m. the lieutenant was the first cop we saw in hours because they were all up on the ends carding people, so there was no police presence out on the streets. They were expecting us to do it all and they kept coming by asking us to make them move. They are asking one door guy to walk up to 20 young men and ask them to get moving and get them off the streets and that's not going to work," said Sullivan.
"I think they are doing a good job, I mean they are not being crazy and over enforcing things so that people are annoyed that they are around. I think they are doing just enough so people are feeling safer," said Jodie Piper, who lives on Washington Avenue.
Police are also moving the containment area one block east and will now shut down Washington Ave from 9th to 14th.
Police want to warn you that they will be writing tickets this weekend specifically for violations of the excessive noise ordinance.
St. Louis police would appreciate your feedback on the new changes. You can email them at communityresponse@slmpd.org
KSDK