Youth focus of meeting about safety, crime in District 4

Paula Hicks-Hudson speaks at a community meeting to discuss safety and crime in District 4. THE BLADE/JEREMY WADSWORTH Enlarge | Photo Reprints

A public meeting about safety and crime in Toledo City Council District 4 focused heavily on youth — and how to restore security in neighborhoods where young adults are creating an atmosphere of intimidation and violence.

The meeting Monday night at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center drew about 60 people, many of them ordinary citizens who have taken a step toward community action.

The event was organized by City Councilman Paula Hicks-Hudson, who is up for election in District 4 on Tuesday, May 3. Ms. Hicks-Hudson said her goal was to launch a discussion about District 4, not to gain a political edge.

“The Fourth District is the best district,” said Ms. Hicks-Hudson, 59, who a lawyer who lives in the Old West End. “It is a shame that we have to feel that it is not necessarily the safest place.”

She said she organized the meeting in reaction to a rash of violence in recent weeks, including shootings, car vandalism, and intimidation by groups of youth.

Also running in the May 3 special election for the District 4 council seat are endorsed Republican Alfonso Narvaez, 19, a college student, of North Toledo, who attended the meeting but did not comment; and unendorsed Democrat Terry Shankland, 65, a caterer, of the Old West End, who did not attend the meeting. Both have cited crime as a major issue.

The meeting included speaker Keith Jordan of the nonprofit Toledo group Juveniles Living Justly Vision Outreach Inc., who talked about his program that provides older youths with work experience and training and gives them a $250 stipend. “How can we keep these kids from falling farther and father behind? Gangs want them so bad. The drug dealers want them so bad,” Mr. Jordan said.

Clyde Phillips, 45, a property owner on Maplewood Avenue, said he has complained repeatedly to city officials, including the neighborhoods department and mayor’s office, about youths vandalizing vacant buildings, but with little response.

Several speakers urged him to be more methodical — to get the names of the people he complains to and then follow up until he gets action. He said a house on his street has been set on fire four times.

“I have talked to anybody and everybody. Nothing has been done. They’re still putting their stolen items in there. They’re still selling their drugs out there. They rule Hollywood [Avenue], the next street over,” Mr. Phillips said. He said the periodic crackdowns and community meetings don’t have a lasting effect. “We need help right now. We need help that’s going to be there in the long term,” he said.

Another member of the audience, Quintin Newton, told Mr. Phillips about a new group called Central City Citizens that is forming neighborhood chapters with the intent of demanding city action for abandoned and neglected properties. Mr. Newton said he focuses on the neighborhood around Nebraska Avenue and Hawley Street.

Warren Woodberry, president of the Board of Community Relations, said youth around the world are “at war” because of the lack of jobs and recreation, and he called Toledo “a soft target” for tougher gangs in Detroit and Chicago looking for new members.

Other speakers represented parents of murdered children, parent support groups, the Toledo Police Department, the Toledo Board of Education, and churches.

Larry Sykes, a member of the Toledo school board, discouraged talk about “how bad our children are because they are going to start believing you.” He urged people to come up with ideas for community activities that could make use of schools and churches after hours.

As an exercise, moderator Morris Jenkins, a University of Toledo associate professor of criminal justice and social work, collected a list of suggestions that people could use to promote safety. Among them: Know your neighbor and his or her schedule; walk your neighborhood; don’t be afraid of your neighborhood.

In encouraging participants to make a commitment, Mr. Jenkins offered to talk to gangs and asked someone to begin facilitating some meetings.

The Fourth District includes North Toledo, the Lagrange area, the Old West End, Central City, Uptown, the Downtown, and the Warehouse District.

Contract Tom Troy at: tomtroy@theblade.com or 419-724-6058.