Pat Doyle reports on a new effort to reduce nuisances at a Minneapolis area light-rail station by using offensive music -- classical music in this case -- as a deterrent.
According to Doyle, "The Metro Transit system has turned on great composers in hope of turning off loiterers, vagrants and other troublemakers attracted to the station. 'If it encourages some people to wander away because it's not their favorite type of music, I guess that's OK,' said Acting Transit Police Chief A.J. Olson."
Interestingly, this concept is not novel. Doyle reports that the campaign is modeled on a similar program implemented in Portland, and is being combined in Minneapolis with other efforts to improve safety at the Lake Street station on the Hiawatha line.
While this crime deterrent method is getting approval from the police, it's not sitting well with classical music enthusiasts. "Classical music lovers hate the fact that urban planners use classical music to disperse youth," according to Minneapolis City Council Member Gary Schiff.
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