While the Crime Task Force gathered today to discuss many different issues, one item brought forth was very exciting.
It seems Crime Solvers may be adding $5,000.00 towards the Street Safe Grant Program. Above and beyond that was the announcement of the Community Foundation discussing matching those funds and perhaps matching any additional funding brought in by outside sources.
My hat is tipped to the Community Foundation for considering such a fine proposal and we can only hope this momentum continues to move in this direction.
This is what I call putting good money after good money. By attending this meeting and seeing the people who attended actually participating, sharing ideas, this is something Salisbury hasn't seen in more than a decade.
That being said, the meeting was a bit verbose and not anything like the Street Safe Program, (a pilot program) as seen in Annapolis. They need to get a Coordinator in there to set the format and drive this program more stream lined and perhaps set the bar for other communities to follow.
While I can see Mayor Ireton's heart is in the right place, my guess is that the proper Coordinator wouldn't settle for a 25% reduction in crime. Not for part one violent crime anyway. This needs to be, (in my opinion) more like an immediate 50% reduction.
The Mayor of Annapolis does not attend Crime Task Force Meetings as he is briefed by others. No disrespect to Mayor Ireton but he needs to step away from these meetings and let the professionals do their thing and also report back to him. It would be a more politically safe move for him anyway.
Nevertheless, community involvement is a great thing to see and with any hope the Community Foundation will in fact see this as putting good money after good money and support this program. We should know their final decision in the very near future.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Joe, I think the Crime Task Force is separate from what will be taking place with the Safe Streets people. That's what Terry Cohen told me, anyway. She said there's some overlap, but that Safe Streets is very law enforcement strategy oriented. The Crime Task Force are like research legwork people. Or something like that. I don't explain it as good as she probably would.
ReplyDeleteThat's really good news about Crimesolvers and the matching money. It sounds like some mementum is getting going here. Really glad to hear it.
This is the best news I've heard in awhile. Very inspiring. Thanks for posting. I'd have to agree w/you about the mayor. Let law enforcement handle the area of their own expertise and not be micro-managed. Again, no disrespect to the mayor as he probably feels damned if he does, damned if he doesn't.
ReplyDeleteIf politicians and politics in general are allowed to meddle into this program, it will fail. Get them out of there.
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