With Downtown Tyler seeing a surge of foot traffic and redevelopment, the city’s police department is putting more boots on the ground. The new downtown beat will have officers walking regular patrols through the area, aiming to boost visibility and build stronger relationships with local businesses and visitors.

“Downtown is growing, and with all the construction — the new courthouse and everything else happening — it made sense,” Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said. “We already have our homeless outreach program in place, and beat officers working with our Community Response Unit. With the redevelopment, the one-way streets, and more people down here, it’s best to have officers posted right in the area.”

The walking beat will cover the downtown core, stretching from Front Street to Gentry Parkway, and from Palace Avenue to Beckham Avenue. Officers on foot will be assigned to the patrol area regularly, making themselves available to business owners, pedestrians, and anyone needing assistance.

“A sergeant and two officers assigned just to the downtown beat will allow them to coordinate with the community response officers that are down here who already know the businesses and know the residents because there’s a lot of people who live down here too …” Erbaugh said.

According to Erbaugh, the decision to launch the downtown beat came from Tyler Police Chief Jimmy Toler, along with the support from Mayor Don Warren and the Tyler City Council. It is meant to work alongside the city’s existing homeless outreach program and the Community Response Unit.

“We’ve seen a lot of (people experiencing homelessness) congregate on the square; it’s open, there’s shade, it’s comfortable, I understand that but our homeless coordination team will … get them the help they need and where they need to go,” Erbaugh said. “That is what these officers and Sgt. (Chuck) Boyce will be doing and kind of fostering relationships as well.”

Boyce is the sergeant of DBAC (Downtown Business Arts & Culture). He helps coordinate police efforts in the downtown area, working closely with local businesses, residents and community groups to keep the area safe as it grows.

Bicycles could be used to support the downtown beat if needed, but for now, the patrol remains strictly on foot and keeping patrol cars nearby, according to the department. “They’re a very good resource to have to patrol if need be,” Erbaugh said.

The public’s response of the downtown beat so far has been “very positive,” according to the department.

“Everybody we’ve talked to, whether it be people here in the Plaza Tower or people just on the street who’ve talked to us, have been very happy with the fact that they’re gonna get officers that are here responsible just for downtown,” Erbaugh said. “Some had said to us ‘We can’t wait to have that. We’ve been wanting that.’ I think it is a good vision by Chief Toler, because it’s what people are excited about.”