Groups plans to patrol West Side during Warren trick-or-treating

By Ed Runyan

A councilman asks citizens to be more proactive in reducing crime.

WARREN — A Halloween 2006 riot on the city’s West Side and increasing complaints from city residents about crime have prompted two city council members to form a trick-or-treat task force to make it safe for kids to enjoy Halloween.

Bob Marchese, council president, and Bob Dean, councilman at large, announced that they have invited members of the city’s neighborhood groups, Warren council members and others to gather at Austin Village Baptist Church, 545 Commerce Avenue N.W., at 5 p.m. Thursday to mobilize on a nearby neighborhood for trick-or-treating, which is from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The task force will don safety vests and watch the children during those hours, Marchese said Tuesday.

The neighborhood, roughly to the north of Austin Village Plaza, experienced massive vandalism on Halloween night two years ago, with about $30,000 in damage to car and house windows caused by juveniles age 12 to 17.

The problems began about 9:30 p.m. in the area of Merriweather Street and Commerce Avenue and centered on the Commerce Avenue Apartments, now known as the Deer Run Apartments.

The city focused police protection on the neighborhood last Halloween, Dean said, but with the city experiencing financial problems this year, Warren must come up with other approaches, he said.

Marchese added it is hoped the task force will help educate the community on some alternative ways to combat crime that bring citizens more into the picture.

For instance, residents should use their house lights more, look out for their neighbors and report crimes they see, Marchese said.

Residents increasingly have complained about crime in that and other city neighborhoods, Marchese said. At the same time, however, the city’s available resources for police overtime have shrunk.

City and community leaders need to support the members of the community so that they will know how to prevent crime and deal with it effectively.

These messages will be given out Thursday in the targeted neighborhood and will be extended to other parts of the city over time, Marchese said.

“This is a way to say we support you, but it’s not going to be easy,” Marchese said.

“This is a kickoff to something we can do on a routine basis,” he added. “We have to start helping people help themselves.”

runyan@vindy.com