Amid renewed security concerns after the June 1 Pearl Street Mall attack, the city of Boulder is emphasizing its security.

The Boulder Police Department, which the city says is at full staffing levels, issued a news release this week that highlighted safety efforts made in the past 18 months that the public might not be aware of. That includes having Sgt. Ryan Scheevel dedicated to coordinating efforts on the Pearl Street Mall, and establishing an e-bike patrol for Pearl Street officers. The Downtown Boulder Partnership, an organization that oversees operations in the portion of the city, lists seven officers dedicated to the Pearl Street Mall.

Those efforts are meant to “increase the feeling of safety and actual safety of visitors to downtown whether they’re working, whether they’re living here or whether they’re just visiting,” said Bettina Swigger, CEO of Downtown Boulder Partnership.

The release also highlighted a program from the police department called the Downtown Officer Block Program, in which an officer serves as a liaison for businesses on their blocks within the Business Improvement District, or BID. The bounds of the BID cover the Pearl Street Mall and Walnut Street, stretch north to portions of Spruce Street and south to and beyond Canyon Boulevard.

Some of the other changes the release highlighted are bathroom attendants to monitor public restrooms on Pearl Street and an on-call team that is designated to address homeless camps in downtown Boulder.

City officials found it important to emphasize these already-made changes with international interest on Boulder in light of the June 1 antisemitic attack that injured 15 people.

“We have visitors from all over the world that come down here, and unfortunately the spotlight (is on us) right now,” said Mike Heath, commander with the Boulder Police Department. “We take safety extremely seriously.”

Mike Horowitz has as good a reason as anyone to feel unsafe on Pearl Street. He’s the face behind the Freddie’s Hot Dogs cart on the Pearl Street Mall at Broadway. That’s where he spends his days, sitting or standing beneath a colorful umbrella slinging dogs and South Jersey wit.

“I think the problem here is, I don’t think people expect it,” Horowitz said. “I’m from New Jersey, and I do the same thing here, I walk around. I’m always looking around because you want to know what’s going on.”

The Pearl Street Mall is more or less as safe as it’s always been, Horowitz said. He sees more danger in the more violent members of the homeless community. He said he was assaulted by a homeless man last August.

“I think in general, it’s a very safe place,” Horowitz said of Pearl Street. “You never know what’s going to happen. (The Pearl Street Mall attack) could have happened anywhere.”