THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, October 28, 1995 TAG: 9510280315
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 96 lines
Having finally settled into their new, four-bedroom home, Jim and Joanna Powell wrote to the person who helped them realize their dream, inviting him over for coffee, tea and a look-see.
They wouldn't have been surprised if he hadn't accepted. After all, the governor is a busy man.
But on Friday, Gov. George F. Allen - with a blue Norfolk Police Department coffee mug in hand - stood in their dining room. He listened to rave reviews from Powell and other police officers about a program that helps cops buy homes in troubled neighborhoods.
``It's important for people to own their own property,'' Allen said. ``They are more involved, not only with their own property, but with their community.''
There was a brief, nervous silence the moment after Allen arrived at Powell's home on Avenue G in Norfolk's Washington Park area. Then the governor broke the ice with easy humor and a slew of questions.
``Who's this guy? He looks like a suspect,'' joked Allen when one of Powell's sons came by wearing a Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt. ``So . . . you're a Cowboy's fan. How did you let that happen?'' Allen said, turning to the elder Powell.
``He's a nonconformist,'' concluded the governor, whose late father coached the Washington Redskins.
Joking aside, an obviously pleased Allen heard an enthusiastic review of the ``Police in Residence'' program. It makes 30-year mortgage loans available at 4 percent interest rates to officers who buy homes in crime-prone neighborhoods in 17 localities across the state, including all Hampton Roads cities.
Allen said having police officers in these neighborhoods will help clean out bad elements, or what he called ``human rats.''
Allen said during his last campaign he heard a suggestion that the state provide incentives to get cops into bad neighborhoods - not just on patrol but as residents. He liked the idea.
The resulting program was greeted with some skepticism. Many people said officers had enough of crime at work, and would not want to move their families into troubled neighborhoods.
But applications outstripped available funds, and all slots in the program were filled in four months. Allen heard pleas Friday to renew and enlarge the program.
``It's working even better than we anticipated,'' he said, welcoming the lobbying. ``It's good for crime prevention and deterrence and it's good for the officers. There's no reason not to keep it going.''
The officers said their presence has an immediate impact on the neighborhoods where they live.
People come up to the officers to ask questions and get advice, and young children get to see cops not as ``the man'' but as a nice neighbor; and the presence of a police car in the area helps scare off thugs.
A car thief even abandoned a vehicle he had stolen near Powell's home when he saw the officer drive up in his police car.
The officers said they wish they could make themselves more visible by driving their police cars around more often. But while allowed to take older police cruisers home, they cannot use them except when going to or from work.
Just the same, Powell said, he takes a few extra minutes and a few additional turns through the neighborhood when he comes home at night, just to show the shield.
``The police car is what makes this program really work,'' said Officer J.M. Beamon, 49, who is buying a house near Norfolk State University with a low-interest loan from the program.
All four officers on hand for Allen's visit said they could never have afforded their own homes.
``This is the all-American dream: owning your own home,'' said Sylvester Nichols, 35, also a Norfolk officer. ``My family is overjoyed. Right now everyone is walking on a cloud.''
His home is still under construction in the New Light section of Virginia Beach, but he visits the site often. His 2-year-old daughter is already feeling at home. ``She gets there and is always running around . . . she loves the yard.''
Allen jokingly asked if he could borrow an officer's baton to beat back an aide who told him it was time to go. But after a few more minutes, the governor was on his way.
He left behind smiles.
``It's been a dream come true,'' said Joanna Powell. Asked if she would have imagined a year ago that she'd be living in a home like this - clean, neat, bright, new and big - she was adamant: ``No, no, no, no. Never. Never.''
She glanced around as if to yet again confirm that it was really there. ``I can't quite compare it to heaven, but it's nice.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo by HUY NGUYEN, The Virginian-Pilot
Joanna Powell stands with Gov. George F. Allen in the Norfolk home
that she and her husband, Jim, a city police officer, bought through
a state program. The governor responded Friday to the Powells'
invitation for a visit.
by CNB