Better Family Life held a Neighborhood Crime Summit Monday night to get the community involved in pushing back against high crime rates in the St. Louis region. The meeting was a part of an annual weeklong set of events called Family Week. Several city officials and representatives attended the discussion held at Better Family Life’s new Cultural Center, including Mayor Francis Slay, Chief Sam Dotson and Major Ronnie Robinson from the St. Louis Police Department, and State Rep. Karla May.
At the beginning of the meeting, James Clark, BFL vice president, said crime in our communities is possibly the most important issue our country faces. According to data from the St. Louis City Police Department, crime in the metropolitan area has decreased over the past several years. Compared to last year’s reported crimes from January to July, there have been about 1,000 fewer index crimes this year – and that includes most violent crimes. From 2005 to 2012, crime has dropped overall. However, St. Louis still maintains its violent reputation, being listed at no. 2 on Forbes’ 10 Most Dangerous U.S. Cities list in 2012.
Clinging to the bottom-left corner of a car bumper parked just outside the BFL Center was a sticker that read, “It’s not them kill’n us. It’s us kill’n us. Stop the senseless kill’n.” That same sentiment of frustration with gun violence in St. Louis communities was an issue reiterated by several in the crowd and on the panel at the crime summit.
“Rather than being an external issue, we have to look at what we do to each other,” said Malik Ahmed, CEO of Better Family Life. “If citizens get involved, we can stop the crime in our community.”
Better Family Life pushed for individuals, businesses, churches and organizations to join them on the front lines in the fight against crime through their Neighborhood Alliance Outreach Model. Along with community service, a town hall series in some communities and their Put Down the Pistol campaign, BFL asked the audience to give some of their time on Saturday mornings. Their plan is to target specific neighborhoods to give out information to families about resources, from prenatal care to community networks for seniors.
Clark said this struggle is not the same struggle as the fight for civil rights. He suggested a need for a new strategy.
“We don’t need another march,” Clark said, “Last time we sang ‘We Shall Overcome,’ now we’re saying, ‘we’re coming over with resources.’”
Mayor Slay echoed the need for more people to get involved in the process of trying to fight crime. Slay addressed the audience saying that the police, the criminal justice system and organizations like Better Family Life cannot stop crime alone.
“By your presence here you are acknowledging that addressing crime is a collective effort,” Slay said.
Along with providing local residents with information about resources, Clark also stressed the work they do to provide young people with tools that can propel them toward success. BFL volunteer Kenneth McClain spoke at the meeting, presenting himself as an example of the benefits of the work Better Family Life is doing.
“When I first met [Kenneth] he had a 9-millimeter, crack-cocaine in his pocket and tattoos from his neck to his navel,” Clark said.
On Monday, McClain appeared before the audience donned in a suit and tie, offering encouraging words to young people who may be in a similar situation.
“I had my first shootout at 15,” McClain said. “That life leads you two places, dead or in jail. I’m not proud of it, but I say it to empower those others who did it. You have to make a conscious choice to say ‘I’m not going to be like that.’”
McClain recently graduated from the St. Louis Community College-Forest Park and is currently interning with the St. Louis City Health Department. He also said he works with the Department of Justice Office to reach out to other young men who have had similar life struggles.
Rachel Smith, a representative from Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce’s office, said changing the tight-lipped community culture could help lower crime rates in the metropolitan area. She said people need to cooperate with the criminal investigations.
“The number one reason criminals are on our streets; it is because the witnesses and the victims didn’t say anything,” Smith said.
When the floor opened for community members to speak, other solutions were offered. A consistent theme was the need for people to be more involved with their neighborhoods and to know and care about the people that live nearby.
Next month Better Family Life will have two training days to get new volunteers equipped to join the Neighborhood Alliance Outreach.
For more information or to volunteer call 314-381-8200.
