Journal focus on crime too narrow

WHILST I applaud the concern for Albuquerque’s current crime wave, I must take issue with your complete focus on the Downtown area as demonstrated by your article (June 24) “Tech Firm fed up with ABQ crime.” As a resident of the area, I cannot deny that of late we are indeed seeing an increase in criminal activities down here. However, much of the rest of the rest of the city is under the same burden, and your singling out of this part of town in particular seems rather shortsighted at best.

I understand the main thrust of the article was about Lavu’s possible departure. It would be highly regrettable if they do indeed move, and I am sorry for (Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce CEO) Terri Cole’s concern also. The media as a whole, though, does tend to concentrate on Downtown as the supposed hotbed of crime, which can be very annoying and counterproductive to the manifest improvements that are happening down here.

I often hear of murders, breakins (and) shooting incidents in other parts of town, and yet somehow this area often seems to get the brunt of criminal reports and complaints ....

We do indeed need more policing in certain parts of our Downtown area, and specifically where Lavu is located. That area is becoming more and more unsafe. That is not to say that parts elsewhere in Albuquerque are not equally, if not more, unsafe, as well. I live in hope that the Journal and other media outlets in the city get a more realistic sense of proportion as to crime in our city and start to address other patently unsafe areas. ROWAN WYMARK Albuquerque