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Show re Ww BUSINESS STANDARD-EXAMINER SUNDAY, JUNE 5, 1994 BUSINESS EDITOR: 625-4244 Ogden shopping: Are you safe? ~ x BRIEF CASES Police working to dispel myths, BULLETIN BOARD Fc step up security Monday- Wednesday - By STEVE GREEN Standard-Examiner staff GDEN — The Ogden Police Department always has spent a lot of time fighting crime. These days, led by Police Chief Mike Empey. officers also are devoting a lot oftime fighting perceptions about crime — particularly the perception that downtown Ogden is a dangerous place to shop and visit. Empey says this perception is just plain wrong. Drunken barpatrons, transients, UTAH/LOCAL Washington Boulevard cruisers and Ogden’s fewstreet gang members may fight among themselves, Vote on Solaray rezoning delayed Empey says. But the chances are remote that good, law-abiding citizens will be MORGAN- Morgan County robbed or assaulted. p lanning commissioners have po “I feel very comfortable in saying assaults between strangers in the downtown areais a rare occurrence,” Empeysaid. “It’s extremelyrare for it to happen to people downtown doing business.” Added officer Marcy Vaughn, who works out of the Ogden City Mall substation: “It’s a lot safer than you think it is. I should know. I walk it every day.” én ct ool district parcel in residential Mountain Green for its new headquarters. But commissioners must first agree But Empeyis quick to add that t crime can and does happen anywhere and that people should always take reasonable precautions. “I’m always concerned we don’t give people a false sense of security. It would be irresponsible to say ‘Don’t worry about your safety.” We wouldn't discourage groups of female employees from leaving together.”he said. | i —_— ; LL lle : With downtown business conditions mostly stagnant or decaying — only 25th Street stands Out as a bright spot — Empey is in the thick of an organized effort to to allow commercial, rather. than residential or agricultural d — a change ers agreed cr MARIE-SUSANNE LANGILLE/Standard-Examiner Ogden Police Chief Mike Empey is working with businesses in downtown Ogden to help improve the area for shoppers. He is their attamnt trying to get rid of unfounded rumorsand also listen to suggestions on how to improve safety. ote t for find th anner Ste anner oteve Young. County commissioners Police blotter change people’s perceptions and convince them to shop and dine downtown. He’s a non-voting member of Downtown Ogden Inc., the newly expanded promotion group financed byan extra propertytax. Empey is active on DO Inc.’s safety committee, which is trying to erase long-held views about safety downtown and is looking at tangible safetyissues like improving downtown lighting at night. Empey also is expanding the ‘police department’s “community policing” program — in which officers like Vaughn spend more time walking beats and getting to knowlocal businesses and people. “Aspart of the effort to revitalize the downtown area, I see the potential of being a part of that,” Empeysaid. “I knowwho theyare and they knowwho I am.” Empey, who’s been chief for three years, acknowledges some officers who have responded to a lot of violent incidents don’t share his big-picture view: that the downtown streets are safe. And some officers aren’t sold on communitypolicing. “There’s a very real concern among some of the officers about whether we have theresources to commit to this newkind of philosophy,” he said. Empey has won widespread praise from downtown business people for one, responding to their problems; and two, working to convince people downtownis safe. A few typical comments about Empeyand his officers: Kevin Ireland, Ogden City Mall manager: “He’s spoken to my tenants about reality vs. fantasy. In will make thefinal decision on tne project . Meantime. the C Ogden/Weber and Weber Tips and news for Downtown Ogdenbusinesspeople and their customers: County Commissioner Spencer | @ Don't put up with panhandling, loitering, @ Drug crackdown: Since harassment, trespassingor otherillegal acts by transients. Call the police if you see anyofthis. Beggingisillegal in Ogden. @ Don't become a crime victim. Be aware. Pay attention. "I feel safe when| go to the mall - but I'm Stokes are working to keep Solaray in Weber County last Fall, the Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force has Big local phone changes coming targeted drug dealers in and around several 25th Street bars. In a 60-dayperiod, an aware of what's going on around me," said Kevin OGDEN - Major changes in informant bought cocaine Thompson of the Weber-Morgan Health local telephone serv ce are marijuana and Department. cramingYLT thic month Wit UUIT methamphetamine from 35 suspects. They'veall been arrested. Later, a second @ Don't use the mid-block crosswalks on Washington Blvd. "I walk to the light. | hear too manyskiddingtires out there," said Police Chief informant made drug buys from Mike Empey, who'soffice is just west of the crosswalk between 25th and 26th streets. Thompsonsaid his department supports elimination 37 suspects - 22 of whom have been arrested, Empey said B Alcohol crackdown: From January to April police and state agents targeted several 25th Street-area bars blamed for problemsincluding loitering by transients and winos, an excessive number of bar fights and excessive drug dealing Empeytold the city counc "There is a disproportionate number of bars and taverns in this small area and some of these establishments were of the crosswalk. "Pedestrian safety has beena big concern. We'd like to seethat." @ Businesses should watch out for each other — muchlike neighbors do urider the neighborhood crime watch programs."That's definitely needed, especially with the grafitti and with one business closing early and anotherlate," Thompsonsaid. @ UTAbus stop crackdown: Police and the Utah Transit Authority are working on the long-festering problem of young peopieloitering at the bus stop at 25th and Washington — literally in the front yard of the police station. To discourage kids from hanging out, big changes are happening there with lighting, landscaping and watering patterns. The pay phone has been altered to allow out-goingcalls only. Plans are under wayto have classical music piped in. “It's plain been a hangout - kids hang outthere all day causing problems and fear," said officer Marcy Vaughn, who's based at the community police N be a) a 7 ai« N a BN bed rs i a aie x station at the Ogden City Mall. She's been threatening loiterers at the bust stop with tickets for littering, smoking and even child abuse for keeping kids there. @ Community police station expanding: Beginning July 1, the two-officer mall police station will expand with the addition of sergeant in charge of the Neighborhood Watch crime prevention program and the bike patrol. The department's two DARE officers will be based there during the summer, but will spend lotof time on the Ogden River Parkway. - he | Ig. dial, >» Also, priority call, TOM PETERS Tribune Media Services Fy detraining for thefirst time at (Cornell), pertinent to the next job” and ‘Keep your hat on. We may endup miles fromhere.” ” I sent Vonnegut’s pithy wisdom to a young passion, flexibility and excitement,” Womack asserts. I like that Microsoft is sympatico, too. In “The Virtue of Making Mistakes,” Forbes magazine describes three senior Microsoft employees who were hired becauseof prior screw-ups. Craig Mundie’s Alliant Computer (a Supercomputer firm) shot off the blocks: then he bet on the wrong technology at the wrong moment, andthe business went kaput. Yet Microsoft scarfed him up. “Microsoft saw in Mundie,” Forbes concludes, “not just a man with technical and managerial friend who was frantically searching for a knowledge, but someone with the guts to bet most interviewees don't own up toit, either. summer job in the middle of her MBA program. I appendeda brief note: “Listen to Vonnegut. Lighten up. If you get ‘the’ job, itll probably be a letdown, If you end up A pox on both their houses. Cornell University recently asked notable do you some unexpected good. In other on a vision — even though it turned out to Betting on visions is, after all, be flawed . what companies like Microsoft areall about,” “The only sustainable competitive advanlage comes from out-innovating the compettion,” says consultant James Morse, And he’s right. Innovation probably means a fiat, hier archy-less organization, Big grants of autonomy to all employees, Etc. Etc. (You know the litany as well as | do.) But above all, it means embracing, not dismissing, “bubbly enthusiasm,” In the last few days | can recall three shabby-service expenences. Each stems from em alumni to offer advice to the Class of "94 Most was predictable — “Be courageous,” “Takerisks” — andnot terribly edifying. Then came novelist Kurt Vonnegut, who began, “What I have becomehas almost nothing to do with Cornell, where, on the bad advice of my brother and my father, | was attempting and failing to becomea biochemist.” His subsequent experiences in life, he added, “were freakish in the extreme mostly accidents.” Hence: “The advice| give myself at the age of 71 is the best advice | could have given myself in 1940, when which ogram up important callers: call rejection allowing you to prevent calls from up to 15 numbers from being operated irresponsibly reaching you They werelittle more than factories that produced extreme intoxication and the problems that accompany it." Empey said all of the bar owners were contacted with the department's concems, a courtesy inspection was conducted and the bars were warnedthat strict enforcement would follow Three of the problem bars were closed and every other problem bar is either on probation or facing charges. Empey said the crackdown resulted in a 41-percent reduction incalisto the problem bars call forw e: selective ing 15 pre-prc bers to follow you t sr number last call return, allowing you to automatically dial the number 0 ast incom call: and Cal € harass obscene i aces ng calls o ssible f police intervention Residentia! prices range from $1.85 per activation for ca atatiol trace to between $3 ne per monitn and $5.95 per monthfor the other services. | requires Caller ID jease of a monitor for about $4 per month, $50. They re “bubbly enthusiasm,” “enjoying activities not that my readers are correct. No, most companies don't cotton to weirdness; and vwnen W or they can be purchased for about 66 I} not only acknowledge occasional bouts of other worldliness, but also the probability YOU to 15 numbers that have a distinctive ri notifying you of Whenentering the job market, keep your hat on “unconventional behavior.” So where am I? Real world? Or not? which S a Dusy See EMPEY on 2F omehowI think youare not living in the real world.” So begana letter about my recent columnon job interviews. It went on to urgently remind me that most Organizations “don’t want imagination, Curiosity, initiative and weirdness.” Another reader said no saneinterviewee (“unless he enjoys being rejected”) would admit to which service bumming aroundfor three months, it may words, keep your hat on,” I meant every. word ofit. Most of us (and most companies) take ourselves far too seriously, fear freakish accidents and end up missing out on life Herb Kelleher of Southwest Airlines whose wacky flight attendants have been known to pop out of overhead luggage bins gets it. So does Cheryl Womack, founder of VCW Ine. of Kansas City, Though peddling insurance to independent truckers may seem like a yawn, she has turned her firm into a high-growth gem. Hiring is kev. “We look for { ployees who lack bubbly enthusiasm who were no doubt hired by bosses lacking bub bly enthusiasm and then subjected to an overbearing system that could drain the bub available from various vendors Also. beginning June 19 most long-distance Calis within the 801 area code will require the caller to dial 1801, not just 1 plus the number bly enthusiasm from even Kathie Lee Giftord Each experience came courtesy of someone who chose of to take the initiative. From there a little problem bloomedinto a memo ry that will linger Sure, I fault the bosses first and foremost TGI Fnday’s in London wants an energetic environment in its restaurants. So as part ot its hiring process it has groups of candidates, on the spot, create — and then perform — improvisational skits. Friday's wants bubble So it seeks bubble. Then it hires bubble. And it gets bubble Cox, Times-Mirror talk big cable deal ATLANTA — 41 Many of the Class of "94 will instinctivels seek the “nght" job. They will ignore Vonne gut’s advice. They won't hang out for 18 months, work in an inner city, apprentice themselves to an exciting theater compan) or, on a lark, head to Poland or Russia to see what's up l believe almost re lig iously in hard work But the odds « tit being fulfilling are low a INSUMING Passio! ou re doing. “Work should be more fun than fun.” Noel Coward once said. Why not” A $2.3 billion potentially nation s third creating the largest cable television system is being liscussed by Atlanta-based blisher Cox Enterprises Inc 4 7 es r While I knowthere aren't enough Friday's and VCWs for all of us, I'll be damned if I'll let the Class of 94 (tight job market or not) or anyone else off the hook: If you intervi like a suff and go to work for stiffs, don’t be surprised if vou turn into a stiff less you have NATIONAL * Mirror + Los ( the Ar geles Kmart boss vows big improvements irt }a y Hy afte jles report. that tt retailer si t ther f ' would Core Sé 0 one disappointing nised Friday nd-l irgest 1 Detter Kmart was cked Dy hare yy ‘ + nt job |