Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Members of the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association met with Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor to discuss concerns about crime in the neighborhood.
What do you think needs to be done to eliminate prostitution in the Seminole Heights area? Tell us in the comments section below. When Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor announced the new Prostitution Enforcement Zone (PEZ) program last February, we asked Patch readers if the crackdown on prostitution would eliminate a problem that has plagued the Seminole Heights communities for decades. But Monday night, April 30, prostitution was still the main topic of conversation during a meeting with Castor, where members of the Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association discussed concerns about crime in the neighborhood. “(Prostitution) is the most unique crime issue we deal with because it is so unpredictable,” said Castor, who is a Seminole Heights…
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Friday, February 17, 2012
The Prostitution Enforcement Zone — or PEZ — includes a good portion of Central Tampa and will make it easier for cops to lock up repeat offenders.
In the bad old days of Seminole Heights' battle against prostitution, “We got no support (from the police) whatsoever,” said Southeast Seminole Heights Civic Association president Sherry Genovar-Simons. “We were told a hundred times, “Well, don't live there. This is what you get because of where you live.” But Thursday night it was clear how things have changed as Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor announced the new Prostitution Enforcement Zone (PEZ) program in the parking lot of the Seminole Heights Baptist Church. “It's just a whole different thing now,” Genovar-Simons said. “(The police) are very very community oriented, and they value what we say.” A result of this synergy between police and residents is PEZ, a zone where a judge can ban …
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Under a new city ordinance, drivers caught buying drugs or soliciting a prostitute may have to pay a hefty fee to get their cars back.
Soliciting a prostitute or buying drugs from your vehicle may end up costing you a hefty extra fee. Drivers engaging in one of these activities could have to pay $500 to get their cars back under an ordinance that won the initial approval of the Tampa City Council on Thursday, Dec. 1, the St. Petersburg Times reports. The city currently impounds vehicles when their drivers are arrested for a prostitution offense, but owners pick up the bill only for towing and storage costs, which are typically less than $150, according to the Times report. Today, Council members approved the ordinance 6-1, with member Mary Mulhern voting no. A final vote is scheduled for Thursday, Dec.15.
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Once a regular endeavor, anti-prostitution patrols are no longer necessary in Seminole Heights, residents say. That's not to say things are perfect, however.
- THE NEIGHBORHOOD FILES
- John Majeski
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
The world's oldest profession is pretty much old news for many Hampton Terrace residents. Well, sort of. Prostitutes are still spotted on occasion along Nebraska Avenue, yes, but residents say gone is the necessity for the citizen-led Hooker Patrol, an organized endeavor that involved trailing prostitutes and shining flashlights on them while they were in vehicles with johns. "It's important to say the situation is not perfect," said Jeff Harmon, who started patrolling with other residents back in 2001. "We still have them. They still show up. It's a hard habit to break, but it's eons better than it was." Apparently. Harmon said Hooker Patrol now goes out maybe once a year, if that. Up until about 2004 or so, Harmon said, vehicle patrols …
Alessandra Da Pra
7:41 pm on Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Thanks David! more ›