Police, Brownsville residents review crime problems
BROWNSVILLE – Local residents concerned about drug problems in the borough met Monday with local and state police about forming a neighborhood crime watch program. Trooper Brian Burden, the public information officer for the state police in Uniontown and Belle Vernon, facilitated the meeting.
“There is no simple answer. If there was, we would have taken it years ago,” Burden said. “The research now is saying we need to take back our communities. Neighborhood Crime Watch really does work.”
He emphasized the need for citizens to form a relationship with the local police department, serving as the eyes and ears of the department without taking justice into their own hands or getting directly involved in crime intervention. Burden said the relationship starts with the police chief.
“Either he or an officer will work with the group. There has to be a relationship with the department so we can trust each other. We need to set some obtainable goals and objectives and do them one at a time. If you think you’re going to do it all at once, you’re going to crash and burn.”
Brownsville police Chief Gerald Elliott said public cooperation is an important part of the crime fighting process.
“We get a lot of calls. Nine people out of 10 won’t tell us who they are or where they’re calling from. That doesn’t help us one bit,” Elliott said.
Resident Nena Kaminsky said Clover Street residents went to the aid of a woman being beaten by a drug dealer several months ago, but when the police arrived, they arrested the woman, not the man who had been beating her.
“The girl said she didn’t want to press charges, that she loved him,” said Councilman Tom Bush.
Stella Broadwater, who along with Kaminsky has organized Brownsville Citizens Against Drugs, said she has called the Fayette County Drug Task Force hotline number 22 times and even though she has left her name and telephone number, she has never received a response. Elliott verified that he has had the same problem. Kaminsky said District Attorney Nancy Vernon has admitted there are problems with the hotline.
Burden also warned the citizens that they would not always see an immediate response to their calls about suspected drug activity.
“Let me clear something up about drug dealers. If the vice squad is working on something or the task force is involved, you may not see somebody grabbed right away. They get involved with these people and it may take weeks or even months because they want to get as many people as they can,” Burden said.
Burden said the police couldn’t act on the suspicion that something might be going on.
“We aren’t the thought police. I have to see something going on,” Burden said.
Burden urged residents who do see criminal activity to be willing to come forward with information and to testify at trials.
“Turn your back and each time you do that, it empowers the bad guys,” Burden said.
Art Wells, who has been part of a block watch program in the Cadwallader Street area for the past six years, said residents need to take the initiative to take their streets back, but they also have to be mindful of the law. Wells said his group uses video cameras to record suspicious activity in the public areas of the neighborhood and walkie-talkies to keep in touch with one another when they do foot patrols.
“There are a lot of programs out there that can help you,” Burden said.
He said the most important thing is to be visible and to be consistent.
“It’s not a one-time fix. If they (the drug dealers) see that you mean business, they will find someplace else to go. They don’t want to get arrested,” Burden said.
Burden suggested that the group attending the meeting elect officers to get the process going. Nominations were made for Broadwater and Kaminsky to serve as president and vice president respectively, but both declined the nomination.
Broadwater said more than 30 people have signed up for Brownsville Citizens Against Drugs and she wanted to present the Crime Watch information to them before elections for officers are held. Broadwater and Mary Wertz, who has been part of a successful Crime Watch program at South Hill Terrace, were named co-coordinators until elections can be held at the next Crime Watch meeting. The next meeting will be held Aug. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Sons of Italy Hall on Race Street.