A new face will soon patrol downtown Bloomington at night.
The person will not be law enforcement, but a familiar presence connecting students, residents, visitors and businesses to resources during bustling nighttime hours, said Yael Ksander, communications director for the Office of the Mayor.
The after-hours ambassador, approved last week in the 2019 budget, will be a liaison between late-night businesses and city hall. Ksander said he or she will roam from Indiana to College Avenue, and from Kirkwood to about Seventh Street.
A large part of Bloomington’s economic and cultural activity takes place after hours, Ksander said, when city hall is closed.
“This is going to be their friend at city hall, who just happens to be on their timeline,” Ksander said.
The ambassador will ideally reduce interaction between law enforcement and people who aren’t committing crimes at night, said Beverly Calender-Anderson, director of the Community and Family Resources Department.
“A lot of times, people just need help,” Calender-Anderson said.
The person could provide directions for visitors, or call an Uber for a drunk student. He or she could call Centerstone for someone who has overdosed, or Middle Way House for a victim of domestic or sexual violence.
If the ambassador saw illegal activity, he or she would have a contact from Bloomington Police Department at the ready.
People will not necessarily seek the ambassador's help directly. Business owners could call when they see someone in need of assistance, Calender-Anderson said.
The position is gaining steam in cities across the country and abroad, with titles like “night mayor” and “nighttime ambassador.”
Amsterdam, Netherlands, introduced the role in 2014. London, England, established a “night czar” in 2016. The District of Columbia posted a hiring notice for a night mayor in the past couple weeks.
Bloomington’s Safety, Civility and Justice task force recommended a similar position in its list of 32 ideas to improve safety downtown.
Calender-Anderson said she has had several conversations with the nighttime mayor in Iowa City, a comparable college town, which has had success with the position.
Hiring for the after-hours ambassador in Bloomington will take place between January and March. There will be no fiscal impact from the addition, as the role with replace the current health project coordinator
While the ambassador falls under the broad category of public safety, the prospective Ambassador does not need to have a background in law enforcement. In fact, Calender-Anderson said many people who fill these roles have experience with business or social work.
