300 St. Albans residents and officials gather for forum on crime and public safety

By Bridget Higdon

ST. ALBANS CITY — Fear. Hope. Frustration. Compassion. All of those emotions and more were on display Tuesday night when more than 300 people showed up at city hall to discuss rising crime rates and public safety concerns in St. Albans. 

The topic has emerged as a community discussion point in recent months after residents and business owners took notice of recent increases in property crime and retail theft in the area.

“I am totally shocked at what has happened to St. Albans City,” resident Robin Bluen said. “Brings me to tears what’s happened.” 

Providing treatment 

Samantha Weber, the crisis clinician from Northwestern Counseling and Support Services embedded within the St. Albans Police Department, works every day to convince people to seek treatment for substance use. 

“I hear a lot of ‘No, I don’t want help,’” Weber said. “But I want to be there the first time they’re willing to say ‘yes,’ and for them to know they aren’t going to do it alone.” 

In order to get sober, a person with addiction has to want treatment. There are very few circumstances in Vermont in which people receive involuntary treatment, which Weber said research shows is often ineffective anyway. Read more…

Link to entire article plus, production by Northwest Access TV of the entire forum that can be viewed here:

https://www.samessenger.com/news/government/300-st-albans-residents-and-officials-gather-for-forum-on-crime-and-public-safety/article_10ed2fae-2f36-11ef-989f-2f1095de9759.html?utm_source=samessenger.com&utm_campaign=%2Fnewsletter%2Foptimize%2Ftoday%2F%3F-dc%3D1718964003&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline