Community Forum to Help Curb Crime

By Beth Malicki, Anchor/Reporter

Tools

By Daren Sukhram

Story Created: Apr 14, 2009 at 9:14 PM CST

Story Updated: Apr 14, 2009 at 9:20 PM CST

CEDAR RAPIDS - Two hundred concerned citizens looked for answers to curb crime in two Cedar Rapids neighborhoods.

The crowd at Saint Paul's United Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids came from every creed, age and color. With color dominating the conversation about violence in Wellington Heights and Moundview Neighborhoods.

Wellington Heights Resident Stephen Canty says, "It's not black people committing crime, it's not just white people committing crime, crimes are being committed in our community and we want to do something about it."

The panel included leaders from the NAACP, the school district, and the police department to talk about what needs to change to stop the violence. Cedar Rapids police have put more police on the streets in those neighborhoods, but the cost means that program will soon end.

"This is not a police solution, we are a resource, we are not a solution, the community will come up with a solution and everyone has to hold each other accountable," said Cedar Rapids Police Chief Greg Graham.

Solving concerns like absent landlords, poor parenting and distrust between police and people they serve, requires more than action in those two neighborhoods.

The consensus in solving those problems was that every person in Cedar Rapids has to step up.

"If you pay taxes, every time a child is incarcerated you pay for that," said retired Cedar Rapids Ruth White.

The discussion lasted 90 minutes, and it could have lasted 90 more.

Every person had a reason for being here and want to see lasting change in the places they go when they leave this church.

One effort to have more of a police presence in the area is a police substation across from the Hy-Vee on first Avenue.

Chief Graham hopes to have it open by this summer.

Next Article Vote 2012: Rick Santorum Wins Minnesota, Colorado, Non-Binding Missouri

Conversation Guidelines

Be Kind

Don't use abusive, offensive, threatening, racist, vulgar or sexually-oriented language.
Don't attack someone personally. Keep it civil and be responsible.

Share Knowledge

Be truthful. Share what you know and what you are passionate about.
What more do you want to learn? Keep it simple.

Stay focused

Promote lively and healthy debate. Stay on topic. Ask questions and give feedback on the story's topic.

Report Trouble

Help us maintain a quality comment section by reporting comments that are offensive. If you see a comment that is offensive, or you feel violates our guidelines, simply click on the "x" to the far right of the comment to report it.

read the full guidelines here »

Commenting will be disabled on stories dealing with the following subject matter: Violent crime, sexual abuse, Amber Alerts, Operation Quickfinds and suicides.