THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505070078
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LARRY W. BROWN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Rod Nelson quickly approached the microphone, crossed his arms and asked Norfolk city officials just how important the community policing program is to the police department.
``Where in the scheme of the police department does PACE come in?'' asked Nelson, of the Northside Civic League. ``On a scale, how do police rate the PACE program?''
Police Chief Melvin C. High joined Nelson at the mike to respond. The Police Assisted Community Enforcement program, High said, is not just another program; it is a top-priority concept.
``We try to get in touch with every citizen and every neighborhood,'' High said. ``Our highest priority is identifying what the problems are.''
The verbal one-on-one was what the city planned when fashioning the Second Quarter Citizen Workshop, a Saturday morning session designed to enhance relationships between city government and residents.
The three-hour seminar, ``Public Safety Partnerships For Our Neighborhoods,'' was one in a series of open-door conversations with city officials. Mayor Paul D. Fraim hosted the event.
``I think it was phenomenal,'' B.J. Stancel, Park Place's Civic League president, said about the workshop. ``I think it's a positive move on the mayor's part. The only way we will solve our problems is if all the players become involved.''
Nearly 150 people - mostly civic league members, police officers and city officials - gathered at Northside Middle School for the session, which focused mainly on PACE.
Officials and residents agreed that they want to develop a greater partnership with each other and work together to resolve public safety issues. They said the immediate feedback created during question-and-answer sessions was a big step from finger-pointing gripe-sessions.
Questions ranged from how to get officers to attend evening civic meetings to how civic leagues could obtain block-by-block statistical crime reports.
Workshop coordinators supplied a booklet of citizens' 25 most frequently asked questions of public safety. The booklet gave explanations for general items such as police response times and citizen patrols to more specific inquiries on police presence at Northside Park and how to provide better lighting on Norfolk's streets.
Panelists told the audience how community policing works and how residents can get involved in block-watch programs and PACE teams.
Seminar topics ranged from the role of religious institutions, successful rental property arrangements, block-watch efforts and citizen patrols.
Presenter Brenda Scanelli of the West Ghent civic league explained how her neighborhood's block-watch program has helped decrease thefts.
``I used to think it's not my job to report suspicious activity,'' she said.
Working with neighbors and the police has since changed her attitude.
``We believe it is important for people to know what's going on,'' she said.
Walter Dickerson, vicepresident of Norfolk's Neighborhood Crime Prevention Coalition, used the chance to praise community policing.
``It is encouraging to be able to have this relationship with the police department and we know something is going to be done because of past things that have happened,'' he said.
Fraim said the series of citizen workshops as well as his one-on-one meeting with residents will grow. ``I'm encouraged by the number of people who came,'' Mayor Paul Fraim said. ``We had the right people.''
The question now is how to get even more people to attend, he said.
``We're going to critique this early next week and learn what we can and try to improve the next one,'' Fraim said.
Stancel, of Park Place, was the last resident to speak during the question-and-answer period.
``We do have a responsibility to become more empowered,'' she said. ``Let us not let this seminar fall on deaf ears.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MOTOYA NAKAMURA/Staff
Left, Rod Nelson, with Northside Civic League, questions the
importance of PACE as Norfolk Police Chief Melvin C. High looks on
during a citizens workshop at Northside Middle School on Saturday.
by CNB