October 17 weekly update
Date: Mon, Oct. 29, 2007
October 17, 2007
Hi, everyone.
Even as police chiefs from all over the nation gather in New Orleans for a law enforcement convention, we continue to suffer rampant murder throughout the city. One thing that has become very clear during the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference is that New Orleans, while more deeply stricken by violence than most cities, is not unique in the causes and nature of much of this violence.
All over the United States, violent crime is on the rise, and the perpetrators are younger and younger. The drug industry, famously amorphous in New Orleans, is transferring into the hands of younger and more casually violent, often small-time dealers. Not only New Orleans, but society as a whole must respond to these shifts with correspondingly adapted techniques and resources. We have been calling upon local law enforcement for some time to address the chaos in the streets of our city more aggressively and more imaginatively; hopefully this week’s conference will yield fresh insights into the crisis and inspiration for dealing with it.
CBS 48 Hours ran a special program last Saturday night highlighting the shortcomings in New Orleans law enforcement and criminal justice. The program rendered these shortcomings especially stark by examining the tragic losses of Dinerral Shavers and Helen Hill, the losses that finally ignited enough outrage among New Orleanians that thousands of us marched to City Hall on January 11 to demand more from our leaders—and from ourselves. Unfortunately, on the night the CBS program aired, we lost two more New Orleanians to much of the same chaos and apparent high-level apathy (despite Ray Nagin’s January 11 promise, re-captured on 48 Hours, to make the murder rate his “sole” focus) that cost us the lives of Dinerral and Helen. We must continue to write and call Nagin and all of the city leadership to demand a stronger presence and more focused action.
And what of ourselves? Are we as citizens of New Orleans answering our own call for heightened attention and engagement, for greater responsibility to our families and neighbors, to creating a safe environment for our children? As crime increasingly occurs among the very young, are we doing what we can to reach young people first, with programs and education and respect, before they can be wooed by their peers into the fearfulness and deep disrespect of criminal activity? This week, while Chief Riley and the NOPD examine their performance in their jobs to keep us safe, we as citizens might also take a moment to examine the job we are doing in creating nurturing and secure communities.
SilenceIsViolence will be in the streets of Northwest Carrollton and Hollygrove this Thursday evening, when our City Walks program takes us to the Trinity Christian Center on Joliet Street. The TCC will host a cook-out reception for walkers, neighbors, and the 2nd District NOPD officers who have been truly supportive as we have walked through the district. We invite all of you to join us, whether for the walk or just the reception:City Walk #14 Route
Thursday, October 18, 6PM Sharp
START: Residence of Karen Gadbois, 8319 Apricot St.
Walk out Dante to Apple St.; turn RIGHT on Apple. Cross Leonidas St. and turn RIGHT on Hamilton. Cross Earhart then turn RIGHT on Olive St., LEFT on General Ogden, and RIGHT on Stroelitz. Turn LEFT on Leonidas and cross the footbridge over the canal. Turn RIGHT on Dixon to Joliet St.
STOP: Trinity Christian Community, 3908 Joliet St.
As always, transportation will be provided back to the start of the route.
THE ELECTIONWe have an exceptional opportunity this week to shape the leadership of our city and state, as well as specific issues impacting our recovery. Please set aside time to study the issues and the candidates, and VOTE on Saturday. Of particular interest to SilenceIsViolence is Constitutional Amendment #1, which would protect state supplemental pay to police officers, sheriff’s deputies, and firefighters. The importance of state supplemental pay is one of the founding issues we addressed at the March to City Hall on January 11. We can support the ability of our law enforcement agencies to protect us by voting for Constitutional Amendment #1. Ken and Baty
www.silenceisviolence.org
