My year with Challenge Detroit has taught me to be a staunch defender of Detroit.  An eternal optimist when it comes to Detroit’s future, I thoroughly enjoy engaging anyone and everyone in conversation about what great things lie ahead for this city.

Today, however, I am disappointed in Detroit.

There is currently a bomb threat in place for the Times Square People Mover Station.  This is not why I am disappointed.  Unfortunately, safety concerns are a reality in most big cities.  The reason I am upset is because of how I see my city reacting to the threat.

Moments ago while walking to Bucharest to pick up lunch, I witnessed horrible interpersonal communication; something which I normally list as one of Detroit’s many unique positive attributes.  Blocks behind me, an older woman dressed in nice clothes and uncomfortable shoes was barreling down the block, yelling for assistance in stopping a bus ahead of her.  Of course, I shot my hand in the air, attempting to hail the bus myself.  The bus was delayed by a red light, and when the woman was a mere 10 paces behind me, I gave her a warm smile and ensured her not to worry, she’d certainly make the bus.  To my dismay, as the bus approached us, it slowed down, but did not stop.  The driver opened the doors, and hissed that he would not be picking the passenger up, as she was not waiting on the sidewalk.  The woman, nearly in tears, described that none of the buses were following their normal schedules or routes because of the road closures from the bomb threat, and she had been scrambling for nearly an hour trying to figure out how to leave downtown to head home to one of Detroit’s neighborhoods.  My heart broke for her.  I consider myself to be fairly educated on city policies, and I had no idea that bus passengers must wait to board a bus from the side walk.  Even right now, examining the website, I don’t see any mention of this rule.

As I continued to walk, I overheard a conversation between a biker and a police officer, the latter was guarding the area taped off by the Detroit Police Bomb Squad.  The biker was explaining that he was new to Detroit, and was unsure how to reach his apartment building without using the closed streets; he was hoping the police officer could recommend an alternate route.  At first, the police officer completely ignored the pedestrian.  Eventually, evading the biker’s question, the officer instructed him to “move along.”  The biker, unsure how to get home, again asked the officer for alternate directions.  When I had walked far enough away that I could no longer hear the conversation, the biker was still stuck, and the police officer remained cold and stand-offish.

For me at least, this is not the Detroit I know and love.  It pains me to see public services and public officers ignoring the needs of Detroiters.  I am used to an open, helping city, and I sincerely hope today was just a fluke.