Matt Porter, NCC News
Making their presence known
The Syracuse Police stationed officers in temporary office units in neighborhoods where they receive the most calls. The Police Department calls it the "Stop-In" program, which stands for "Strategic Team Oriented Policing in Neighborhoods."The "Stop-In mobile policing units" are located in three neighborhoods: Rockland Avenue, Fernwood Avenue, and on the corner of Knaul and Highland Street. Each area had high call volumes in 2009.
The purpose of the program is for officers to embed themselves in these neighborhoods, find out the problems of the neighbors, and work to resolve some of them. According to Deputy Police Chief Joe Cecile, some of the issues the police hope to help solve include:
- Identify and investigate suspicious houses in the community that may be holding guns or drugs
- Identify and investigate suspicious activity that could be drug or
gang related - Problems with drivers speeding or committing other serious traffic violations
"We're on the same side," said Chief Fowler, "They want the criminal out of the community, I want them out of my city."
Deputy Chief Cecile noted that the officers have been off to a slower start than expected in the communities like Knaul because of language barriers with some community members.
Is it working?
Residents we spoke to today say "the pods" have made an impact on the community."It's been quieter," says Michelle Smith who was walking her ten-month year-old son when we stopped her about a block from the pod, "I think it should stay, it would help the neighborhood a lot."
Although the cost of the pod is cheap, $230 dollars a month, the city can't afford to staff the officers at the pods permanently. For now, they've re-assigned their school officers to the pods. But in a few weeks, they'll be re-assigned when school starts back up.
The police are offering cell phone numbers to residents according to Chief Fowler, and residents say they would take advantage of that.
"Usually, when you call 9-1-1, it takes em a bit because they have other calls," says Krista Bombard who works at the bakery down the street from the pod, "If there's something going on right there, you can call the officer and he'll come down right away before it got out of hand."
A smashed window from some hurled object serves as a reminder for Bombard of the neighborhood's potential for volatility.
Looking towards the future
Police Chief Fowler says the Knaul-Highland neighborhood was not only chosen for its high call volume, but also because it doesn''t have an active neighborhood watch program. He says he hopes that by having officers teach residents about these programs, they'll be able to help law enforcement "by doing some self-policing."He doesn't mean whipping out a pistol or handcuffs, but by people keeping their eyes and ears open, and getting involved in city programs like Neighborhood Watch. One resident who preferred only to be referred to as James, says the community already does something similar.
"People know each other in this neighborhood. They bond," says James, "We talk to each other in this neighborhood."
A lot of the neighbors say they wished the pods could stay, and were skeptical of things staying as quiet when the police leave next month.
"It will probably pick right back up the way it was," says Bombard.
As for James, he says the police's goal of closer relations is possible, but only if "people come together and want it, you know. If there's no unity than people perish."
No comments:
Post a Comment