Is Downtown Rochester Safe After Dark?

This morning a listener called to ask if Rochester's downtown area is unsafe, after reading about several fights that broke out early Sunday morning.

Downtown Rochester has roughly a dozen bars in a three to four block radius on and around the area of Historic 3rd Street and, over the last several years, the area has become the place to be for those who are going out for a night of drinks, dinner and fun.

I talked to Captain John Sherwin from the Rochester Police Department, who said as the downtown area continues to evolve and improve, people from outside of Rochester are starting to take notice. Sherwin says people from Owatonna, La Crosse and other cities in our region have started coming to enjoy Rochester's nightlife. With larger crowds you're going to get more incidents. Sherwin said they now have four officers walking the streets on weekends to ensure the public's safety.

I believe the downtown area is safe. I think you're always going to have a few knuckleheads acting like fools wherever alcohol is being served. What do you think? Do you feel safe going out in downtown Rochester?