Wicomico Neighborhood Congress January 29, 2008 Forum On Crime

Neighbors - Please join the members of the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress for this exciting evening. The public is welcome. Any of the steering committee members who could come early - that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to our presenters, Town of Delmar, the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore, and all of the members of the WNC for supporting this worthwhile endeavor. Jim Ireton

Wicomico Neighborhood Congress

P.O. Box 571

Fruitland, MD 21826

Wicomico Neighborhood Congress Hosts Crime Forum in Delmar

Partners with Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement;

Thanks Community Foundation for Book Grant

DELMAR – The Wicomico Neighborhood Congress (WNC) has secured a powerhouse law enforcement panel for a crime forum as the theme of its first congress of 2008, to be held Tuesday, January 29, 6:30 p.m., at Delmar Town Hall, 100 S. Pennsylvania Ave. in downtown Delmar, MD. The November 2007 WNC Convention identified crime as one of the top issues facing Wicomico County residents.

The WNC has secured presentations and cooperation from every level of government. Presenters and facilitators include Troy Williams of the United States Attorney’s Office – Maryland District, Dan Dougherty of the Wicomico States Attorney’s Office, and Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis.

County Executive Rick Pollitt praised the WNC efforts, saying, “Thirteen short months ago, the Wicomico Neighborhood Congress was only an idea. Now it is a vital organization, and its next meeting deals with crime in Wicomico County. We have a pressing problem in many of our neighborhoods with individuals who have lost their sense of being part of a community of safety and peace. I am very pleased that the WNC is tackling this important subject.”

The evening will include a presentation by Williams, a principal contact for community programs in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, on the concept “Fixing Broken Windows.” The theory, by author George L. Kelling, calls for a proactive approach to fighting quality-of-life crimes that, if ignored, lead to much deeper problems for communities. The WNC is pleased to announce a $500 grant from the Community Foundation of the Eastern Shore to purchase Kelling’s texts to be distributed to neighborhoods and individuals throughout the county. Community Foundation representatives will be on hand for a brief presentation.

As the State’s Attorney’s Wicomico County Gang Resistance and EXILE director, Mr. Dougherty has made hundreds of presentations to school students, faculties, civic groups, governmental agencies and private organizations. Mr. Dougherty chaired Wicomico County’s Gang Suppression Committee, which initiated and sustains the county’s gang resistance effort. He organized two Eastern Shore Gang Information Sharing Conferences and operates a gang information sharing network on email that reaches many members of the law enforcement community. He serves on the executive board of the Mid-Atlantic Region Gang Investigators' Association and is a member of the East Coast Gang Investigators’ Association.

Mr. Dougherty praised efforts in Wicomico County, saying, “Wicomico County enjoys tremendous cooperation and information sharing between the police, probation and parole, juvenile justice, corrections, and prosecutors. We can network the same way that the gangsters do, and we’ll all be better prepared to resist gang violence in the community.”

Sheriff Mike Lewis will lead a break-out session where neighbors and neighborhood association representatives will share problems they face and brainstorm ways they can partner with law enforcement countywide to solve problems and open lines of communication. Lewis noted, “I am excited about this positive step in addressing public safety issues proactively.”

Members of the steering committee for the WNC are excited about the dialogue that will occur between members and these officials. “The WNC makes it a priority that citizens be able to express concerns and discuss solutions with experts and community leaders. In this environment, the goals of the congress are met. We are proud of this effort and encourage citizens and neighborhood leaders to participate,” said Jim Ireton, WNC steering committee chairman.

The WNC includes both group and individual members. Prospective members and visitors are welcome to attend this vital session on crime.