GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Several businesses in downtown Grand Rapids are voicing concerns about their employees being harassed. They’re also reporting seeing people have sex in broad daylight.
One of the companies expressing concerns about their employees being harassed is Smith Haughey Rice & Roeggee. The company’s CEO recently wrote a two-page letter to Grand Rapids city commissioners on fixing the problem. In the letter, the CEO wrote that employees have been approached for sex. Some employees have also seen people have sex at the front door.
Another company spoke about similar problems is Cinco De Mayo, a restaurant on Monroe Center Street. “It’ll turn into a big old party, like to have drinks from everywhere else, and it’s just like right here,” said Cinco De Mayo’s assistant manager Rubi Romero.
Romero says that Cinco De Mayo employees have also witnessed people having sex. "We've had people that will close at 9:30 in the morning. Our crew will get here and we'll have people naked on our tables, or we have underwear on our tables," said Romero. "Like, people eat here."
Romero says that she has reported the issues to the police. “The police aren’t doing anything about it,” she said. “We really can’t do anything about it. We get threatened for it.”
One way that Cinco De Mayo’s has tried to solve the problem is by putting chains around its outdoor seating.
"We don't need that in the city, man," said Romero. "It's ridiculous. I feel like it's getting worse."
The Grand Rapids Police Department did not have a comment on the letter from Smith Haughey Rice & Roggee’s CEO. However, the department did say that it continues to work with community partners to address issues and maintain safety downtown. The letter can be read below:
