ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - An open air drug market in the middle of Downtown at the park at 13th and 14th streets between Pine and Olive is causing concern among residents.
UPDATE: KMOX sent to the St. Louis Police Department disturbing pictures posted to social media showing people passed out on sidewalks and some overdosing . We requested an interview with Chief Robert Tracy, today (Wednesday) spokesman Mitch McCoy sent us information about just how many calls police have been responded to, just in the last three or four months.
McCoy tells KMOX the Department is very aware of the community concerns. Since May, police have received between 3-hundred-50 and 4-hundred calls to the park and surrounding area.
The calls involve assaults, drug overdoses, fights, disturbances, call for help, crisis intervention, destruction of property and tampering with autos.
In addition to calls for service, police officers have self initiated 1-hundred-17 calls and made 30 arrests.
Additionally, around the Vape Shop on 10th Street between Olive and Pine there have been nearly 3-hundred calls more calls for service.
This is a complex issue that police can only do so much with, that means Mayor Cara Spencer's administration, Human services, the Health department, City Counselor and community based organizations all need to be at the table to resolve this problem
Those overdoses are not happening in the middle of the night. It's happened in the middle of the day, while children are in the area at two nearby schools.
We talked with Les Sterman with Citizens for a Greater Downtown St. Louis. He lives downtown and adds a nearby vape store to the growing problem.
"It's an ongoing issue, he says. "Obviously we've had concern surrounding the vape shop on 10th Street (also between Olive and Pine) and the gatherings that occur on 14th at the park."
"The fire department is responding to overdoses on a regular basis."
KMOX has reached out to the St. Louis Fire Department for statistics on how many calls they've responded to in the park. We are waiting to hear back.
Sterman says the park at 14th Street, often strewn with trash as well, is of great concern to him. He adds "it's not compatible with a great city and a great downtown."
Wednesday evening at 6:00 there is a Downtown safety committee meeting at Hotel Saint Louis at 7th and Olive. KMOX will be there.