Lynne says: "How about liberated zones wherein block clubs pay residents $10 hour to walk the streets in pairs for 1>3 hour shifts. Anyone who wants to walk can. They just get to know the community, talk with people. Everyone will get to know everyone better, low income people will have a way to supplement their income, relationships will be built. No guns. No violence. The only equipment Street Walkers would carry would be notebooks, pencils, and cell phones in case the police are needed. Mostly, though, we don't need the police. We need to get to know our neighbors better. We are presently asking the police to do a job they cannot possible do:"
Barb L says: We do that now Lynne in many neighborhoods throughout the city. They are called stroll patrols, walkers, citizen patrolers or names to that end. NRP has provided funds to pay for equipment for many of these patrols in several neighborhoods throughout the city. NRP has paid for cell phones, t-shirts, arm bands, police radios, walkie-talkies, hats, etc. so equip the neighborhood groups to do this work. I was one of the founding members of the Whittier walkers in the early 90's. We viewed our function as being eyes on the neighborhood and made efforts to let the neighbors know we were out there. We didn't get paid to do the work. I guess I looked at it as one more way I could fulfill my responsibility to do my civic duty. You know, a government for the people by the people. I will say that we encountered situations where it got pretty dangerous while we were out on patrol. We were threatened by a group of "gangsters" who referred to us as the neighborhood do-gooders and we encountered a couple out-of-control drug use situations where the police needed to be brought in immediately. We were relentless. When drug dealers were standing on a corner, we would stand right next to them. When they moved, we would move. It drove them crazy! And quite frankly, I don't think it helped their business much. I even had someone knock on my door and threaten to beat me up if we didn't quit. On the positive side, we met a lot of neighbors. They appreciated what we were doing. We developed friendships with people in the neighborhood that have lasted for years, and we got to have a beer or two at the Black Forest when it was done. It was very empowering to know that my little volunteer time was really having such an impact. I didn't feel powerless anymore and I stopped feeling hopeless. I had the power to change my environment. No one gave me the power, I took it! The best part, we don't have the drug dealers anymore. I am not saying that the walking patrols were responsible for driving them out. It was a holistic approach to revitalizing the neighborhood. Block clubs, stroll patrols, citizen inspectors, Crime Free Multi-housing programs, crime summits, working with the police, housing rehabilitation, building new houses, working in a respectful partnership with rental property owners, renovating the park, building a new community school, revitalizing Nicollet, and developing a network of meaningful after school and summer break programs for kids. It was all of this that turned our neighborhood around. And no...we didn't drive the poor people out. They still live there too. They just feel a little safer letting their kids play outside now! Barb Lickness Whittier ===== "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." -- Margaret Mead __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Try FREE Yahoo! Mail - the world's greatest free email! http://mail.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
