Thursday, May 22, 2008
There was a gathering of area residents and government officials Monday to discuss an issue that knows no bounds: crime.
And while there were a lot of suggestions as to what citizens can do to help law enforcement deal with the anticipated increase in crime as the mercury rises, there was an observation that deserves repeating:
The time to meet your neighbor is not after your house gets burglarized.
So said John Geras of the Ohio Adult Parole Authority. Geras noted that sharing information reduces opportunities for criminals.
But information about what’s going on in your neighborhood should not just be shared with those around you. The police also need to know.
Crime Stoppers at 330-746-CLUE offers rewards for tips. Callers can remain anonymous. In addition, youngsters can call 330-744-7606 to report bullying or gang activity.
As the 125 who attended the Block Watch Summit at Choffin Career Center were told by law enforcement officials and others, the key to a successful crime-fighting campaign is cooperation.
Police need citizens to be their “eyes and ears.” It makes perfect sense because people in the neighborhoods are on the front lines of criminal activity, especially in communities like Youngstown.
As Willie Williams, president of Youngstown Block Watch, told the gathering, “We, the citizens, have to protect where we live and keep an eye out for each other. If we see something wrong, contact law enforcement.”
Although the city of Youngstown’s overall crime rate for the first three months of this year declined by 12 percent compared with the same period last year, homicides are on the rise.
The economy
But the downturn in the economy that has caused major hardships, especially in the poorer areas, could result in an increase in street crimes and residential burglaries.
Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams has already developed a strategy for fighting crime this summer. Youngstown police, along with members of the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation will be involved in what the mayor says is a zero tolerance campaign.
But as the mayor told the Block Watch Summit participants, keeping communities safe goes well beyond police and firefighters. It goes to the heart of who makes up a community.
“The fact that you’re here — you get it,” Williams said.
The key to having a safe community is community participation. And a proven tool for helping law enforcement fight crime is the block watch.
Austintown Police Chief Bob Gavalier was on the mark when he said that a block watch allows neighbors to get to know each other and get to know the officers who patrol their neighborhood.
In addition, such a grass roots entity provides residents with a chance to become familiar with the daily routine of their surroundings so that anything out of the ordinary can be detected and monitored.
That way, police can alerted. This is especially important on streets where illegal drug trade is conducted.
As for gangs of kids that roam the streets during the summer, Youngstown Police Chief Jimmy Hughes revealed that as many as 30 officers will be out and that the 11 p.m. curfew will be enforced.