01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 2, 2004

'YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to remain silent." I've always wanted to say that to someone -- especially the two knuckleheads in the street below, cursing the bejesus out of each other at the top of their lungs on the night before Thanksgiving. Exasperated, I went to my window, looked out, and there they were, getting seriously in each other's faces -- a shoving match on the verge of a punchfest. Their lady friend looked on helplessly.

Before I could bring myself to throw open my window, inform them of their rights and, frankly, end a jolly good show, a window below me opened up and a female voice rang out: "Are we going to have to listen to you all night long?"

"Yeah," came the reply, "yer gonna hear us all #@%*ing night! Now go back to bed!"

But shut up they did. After a while. I continued to watch until they shoved each other out of view.

Even without bloodshed, it was, I'll admit, better than a movie, more real than reality TV.

Crime Watch!

The knuckleheads outside did not realize that a real "crime watch" -- the Downtown Crime Watch -- is being organized by the Downtown Neighborhood Alliance, the Providence Foundation, and the Providence Police Department. Little did they know, too, that they were being observed by someone who had just volunteered to be a block watcher.

Block captains are being recruited as I write. Each block captain will recruit and schedule 10 to 20 block watchers. One block captain, John Martone, of the Alice Building -- manager and mixmeister at tazza caffe -- has already signed up at least 20 volunteers. (This proves that more than a dash of cool is on tap.) Block watchers in special vests will walk around and keep an eye on things. They will be visible symbols of the safety of the neighborhood.

Symbols of safety, yes -- vigilantes, no.

This point was made forcefully by Providence Police Lt. Tim Lee a couple of weeks ago at an early organizational meeting for the crime watch. Lieutenant Lee, who commands downtown's police district, said block watchers are not to intervene in any situation; they are to call the police.

Coincidentally, Nextel today announces an offer of discount cell phones to the Downtown Security Network, a safety group sponsored by the Downtown Merchants Association. A similar offer is in the works for the Downtown Crime Watch.

In fact, three safety-oriented groups will be contributing their watchfulness to downtown. In addition to the Downtown Crime Watch and the Downtown Security Network, the new Downtown Providence District Management Authority will hire uniformed "safety teams" staffed by "ambassadors." There are also the security services employed by many downtown nightclubs and other institutions.

Let's hope the cops' cells have call waiting!

Seriously, what may seem overkill safetywise will fill a critical gap until shopfronts are filled with life -- filled, that is, with waiters, clerks, shopkeepers, patrons and others with a stake in safety.

The famous urbanologist Jane Jacobs noted in The Death and Life of Great American Cities (1961) that such watchers, more than police, keep crime in check. Statistically, downtown is one of the safest neighborhoods in Providence. Its reputation for insecurity springs from perceptions arising from darkness, litter, graffiti, vandalism, public urination, modern architecture, auto break-ins, and the boisterous behavior of the sweetly stewed. Scary perhaps, tedious certainly, but hardly dangerous.

Still, until eyes in abundance keep watch on the streets from shop windows and doorways, the several layers of security from the Downtown Crime Watch up to the Providence Police Department aim to make people feel as safe as they actually are.

Tonight's second annual Celebrate Downcity event should approximate how lively Westminster Street will typically be with the opening, next spring, of the Peerless Building -- with its 97 loft apartments and ground-floor retail -- and Hotel Providence -- with its 80 boutique rooms and L'Epicureo Ristorante.

Trinity Rep carolers on Westminster, Christmas-tree lighting at City Hall, poetry slammers at AS220, Latin music at the Black Rep, Big Nazo Puppets at their "lab" on Eddy, shops with holiday-gift offers, the Pro-Dough raffle, craft shows, and the like will take place from 5:30 p.m. into the night.

In fact, the good noise is already pushing the bad noise out of downtown. I must admit that, after five years in the Smith Building, my nights feature fewer and fewer amusing altercations viewed from five floors above. The motorcycles are gone. Car alarms and manly bellowing are less frequent. Yawn!

Maybe that's really why I volunteered to "walk a beat" downtown. In my heart, in my bones, I can feel the civility returning to the streets. In short, I know it'll be safe, social, and fun -- even if I don't get to walk up to certain folks and declare, "You have the right to remain silent."

David Brussat is a member of The Journal's editorial board. His e-mail is: dbrussat [at] projo.com.