In a call-back to JFK, Neighbor Advisory Committee (NAC) member Bob Gilmore pointed out the negativity he sees in certain residents. He said all they do is complain, but never step up and do anything; that they want the city to solve all their problems. “We need to stop asking what the city can do for us,” Gilmore said, “but what we can do to help our city.” Homelessness and petty theft top the list of grievances. Gilmore suggested each neighborhood begin standing up their own neighborhood watch to report unusual activity to the police. A neighborhood watch can patrol the parks and public spaces and generally keep an eye on things. “The cops can’t patrol every block every minute,” Gilmore said. Another suggestion was to reconstitute the reserve police force. In years past, the department could call upon reserve officers to bolster the ranks of the full-time officers, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Gilmore wasn’t sure why the program had gone silent, whether it was from lack of interest, liability issues, or both. The idea of neighborhood residents watching out for and helping each other is a primary reason the NAC was created. It is why the NAC has been so focused on creating the neighborhood map, so people knew which neighborhood they lived in and could begin to build a sense of community and pride with those neighbors. The other members agreed. There is only so much the city can do. The citizens must step up and pick up the slack. City officials advising the NAC have agreed to set up meetings with law enforcement to discuss the viability of these suggestions and how to possibly implement them.
Source: Morning Sun
