THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 16, 1997 TAG: 9702160050
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ANGELITA PLEMMER AND JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 117 lines
Lucille Perry didn't mind venturing out into grim weather Saturday, because she wants to start a neighborhood watch in her Southside neighborhood.
Herbert Stewart was glad to sacrifice a few hours of his afternoon, because he wanted to learn about home security devices.
And two Suffolk City Council members made the 30-mile drive in hopes of learning the secrets of Portsmouth's successful year fighting violent crime.
They were among nearly 500 residents, police officers and city officials who gathered for Portsmouth's second annual crime summit, held at Willett Hall. The gathering this year was called the NEAT Summit, for the city's Neighborhood Enhancement Action Teams.
They were young and old, black and white, rich and poor, men and women - all eager to brainstorm ideas, share success stories and find solutions to crime problems in their communities.
It was a diverse representation that Genevieve LaFargue was especially glad to see.
Last year, she felt there were more people at the crime summit from neighborhoods with the worst crime problems.
``Now I think we're seeing more people from all over,'' she said.
It shows, she said, that ``we don't have to fight it by ourselves.''
LaFargue, leaving a workshop on how police and business owners can work together to prevent crime, was sporting a blue sweatshirt that marked her as a graduate of the Citizens Police Academy.
Her next stop was a workshop on cleaning up neighborhoods. In her community, abandoned buildings too often are havens for drug activity.
``I want to see my city nice and clean,'' she said. ``That's what I'm going to say in there. If they can't be rented or sold, then tear them down.''
Before summit participants split up for the workshops, they heard from a number of state and local officials.
State Del. William Moore, boasting of the city's falling crime rates, told summit participants that the past year had been a ``remarkable beginning.''
``But we must not be satisfied to rest on our laurels,'' he said.
Officials are hoping to make a comeback from previous years, when a high violent crime rate earned the city unwelcome attention.
They're going in the right direction. In 1996, the crime rate fell for the first time in 13 years. The violent crime rate plunged 29 percent. Murders dropped from 37 in 1995 to 23 last year. Robberies plummeted from 842 to 532. Rapes went down from 77 to 58. And felony assaults dropped from 549 to 454.
``We're out here to make a difference,'' Commonwealth's Attorney Martin Bullock said. ``We want to keep the momentum going.''
The city's good news coincides with several initiatives proposed by Bullock and Police Chief Dennis Mook. Their plan called for speedier trials and a joint federal task force to target drug gangs and other violent offenders.
More recently, the city received state funding for a new task force to target violent crimes against women. But law enforcement officials said they are still looking for other ways to improve.
``Our focus is not just on crime . . . but on the quality of life,'' Mook said.
The new focus over the past year has had police officers working closely with other city departments on problems ranging from litter to code violations.
``This is a non-traditional police role,'' Mook said. ``But we are out there. . . . We have the knowledge, we have the resources.
``If we can get things done quickly and effectively to improve your neighborhood, I say, `Why not do it?' '' he added, to a round of applause.
``We're taking more of those violent criminals off our streets,'' Mook said. ``And for the first time, hundreds of you worked with us to positively impact crime.''
Sylvia Wallace and her neighbors in Port Norfolk were among those residents who worked to fight crime.
Her street, not far from where the Midtown Tunnel empties traffic into the neighborhood, used to be what she called a ``dream street.''
But over the past two years, she said, residents began to realize that drug dealers had moved into the neighborhood.
There were times when the drug buyers would be double-parked along the street, and prostitutes would use a flashlight to flag down cars.
``At some point, you either do something or give up on it,'' she said.
Residents were linked to their community police officer, Matthew Crutcher, and were told, step by step, what to do.
More than 40 residents attended neighborhood meetings to get instructions on setting up surveillance.
``It made you feel a lot better, because the police became so visible,'' Wallace said. ``I have to hand that NEAT officer a lot of credit. He stayed right on top of these people, and they are gone.''
Similar success stories were shared throughout the day, in other workshops on how citizens and police can work together.
One workshop, called Youth on Crime, was led entirely by teens who hope to bridge the gap between adolescents and adults. More than a dozen participants offered solutions to help young people avoid getting into trouble.
Some suggested stricter curfews; others offered after-school programs, intramural sports and police mentoring.
``By these young people teaching adults about how to deal with kids on their level, I think it would cut down on the number of calls for service that I get,'' said Officer James Lewis, a community police officer who patrols the Brighton and Prentis Park area, where juvenile crime has been a problem.
``For these young people, the NEAT program is about letting the kids tell adults about what will work to stop youth crimes,'' Lewis said.
Workshop participants asked the teens tough questions about peer pressure, drug abuse and pregnancy.
``If you have a goal, then that's going to keep you from digressing into drugs, violence and alcohol,'' said Tamika Baskerville, a 17-year-old student at Churchland High School.
``Being here, maybe I can be part of the solution.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
PORTSMOUTH'S 2ND ANNUAL CRIME SUMMIT
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/The Virginian-Pilot
Nearly 500 police officers, city officials and residents attended
Saturday's meeting and workshops held at Willett Hall.
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
The Virginian-Pilot
At Saturday's summit, Police Chief Dennis Mook said that
Portsmouth's continued efforts are vital. ``Our focus is not just on
crime . . . but on the quality of life.''
KEYWORDS: PORTSMOUTH CRIME SUMMIT