After a recent shooting on Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington officials are taking a broader look at what makes people feel safe.
At a City Council public safety discussion Sept. 9, residents raised concerns about more than guns. They talked about feeling unsafe when they are alone, in unfamiliar places, or when crime alerts draw attention to nearby incidents.
Council Vice President Sydney Zulich said the discussion showed how public safety concerns can vary across Bloomington.
“Everyone has a right to feel safe and also be safe,” Zulich said. “And for different people in the community, that might look completely different.”
The conversation also raised questions about limits on the city’s power to act.
Bloomington's authority over gun policy is limited by state law. Thomson said the city is discussing what options may still be available when large events bring crowds together.
“Can we limit the presence of guns when there is a major event?” Thomson said.
Other ideas focused on encouraging safer firearm storage and creating places where residents can get to know their communities and the people around them.
For Bloomington, the challenge is not just responding to crime. City leaders are also trying to understand what makes people feel unsafe before something happens.
The discussion also brought up another challenge for the council: reaching people who do not normally attend public meetings.
Zulich said residents who were not well represented at the Sept. 9 meeting may have different concerns that the council needs to hear.
“Expecting them to come to us is not always the most effective way to get feedback,” Zulich said.
That could mean taking future conversations outside City Hall and into the places where residents already spend time.
The council will meet again Oct. 21 for the second public safety discussion.
The focus will shift toward potential solutions. Council members will look at what Bloomington can do on its own, what may require help from the state, and how residents can be part of shaping those solutions.
