They travel in pairs or small groups. The objective is to resolve conflict, Stone said, and help police avoid arrests. They have found missing children. Each member carries a cell phone in case an officer is needed. Despite all the changes, Virginia Beach is not a perfect example of civic harmony.
Tough issues remain unsolved.
For example, city officials are studying an ongoing problem of people using foul language in public, a behavior they fear could lead to the impression that the Oceanfront is an unsavory place. The resort also continues to have a kind of split personality, with the days centered on families and the nights evolving into an uneasy mix of reckless, undisciplined teen-agers, weary visitors and watchful police. And not all change is Greekfest-related. Tourism has, if anything, become more competitive. Photo by Steve Earley.