MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – The Marquette Food Co-op will enforce its existing policies to improve the store’s environment for both shoppers and staff.
“We have concluded that we need to enforce existing policy regarding people’s behavior, in and around the store, and re-establish boundaries to ensure a comfortable and smooth shopping experience, decrease the potential for health hazards, and improve the security of Co-op staff and property,” said Matt Gougeon, Co-op general manager, in a message to the community on Monday.
Gougeon writes that it is due to behaviors by everyone, not only those who frequent Room at the Inn, the emergency homeless shelter located blocks away from the shop.
“If you’re already thinking that I’m referencing our neighboring homeless population, you wouldn’t be wrong, but I’m also including everyone else who enters the building.”
Gougeon says the number of panhandlers has increased, as has the amount of loitering in the cafe and outside, behind the kitchen and the receiving bay area, as well as on the benches along Washington Street. There has also been an increase in smoking and drinking on Co-op property, as well as shoplifting.
“Shoplifting is on the uptick but is certainly not isolated to the homeless folks although they, at times, perpetrate a quick grab. Regular shoppers also steal. Sometimes as much as hundreds of dollars of products at a time,” Gougeon writes.
The general manager also writes of the misuse of the Co-op’s bathroom, which he attributes to everyone who enters the store.
To try to combat these behaviors, the Co-op will enforce its already existing policies. Through a partnership between RATI, the Marquette Police Department, a private security firm, local contractors and the Community Foundation of Marquette County, the Marquette Food Co-op will take the following actions:
- Install signage around Co-op property prohibiting soliciting, loitering, smoking, drinking and unacceptable bicycle parking.
- Install a locked fence/gate and an additional security light behind the kitchen and near the dumpsters.
- RATI will communicate the prohibitions to the shelter populations through meetings and street outreach efforts.
- Staff will call the police instead of mitigating individual situations of poor behavior and request an order of trespass.
- MPD is prepared for an increase in calls to serve orders of trespass.
- Hire short-term security personnel to aid in monitoring the store and property and to liaise with MPD, which will relieve some of the pressure on staff.
The message says the Co-op is also working with the Community Foundation of Marquette County to provide seed money for the Room at the Inn Designated Fund.
“To be clear, we care about our homeless neighbors, and we especially care about the staff and volunteers of RATI and whether they have the financial resources available to them to provide for the care and assistance of their clients. This fund will serve in that purpose, and we are proud to make the initial deposit.”
The message ends by saying the focus of the Co-op is to make shopping and participation in the store a pleasant, safe and equitable experience for everyone.
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