Philly seeks 10,000 men to guard streets

[arnisador]

Philly seeks 10,000 men to guard streets (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070914/ap_on_re_us/philadelphia_violence)



The city's embattled police chief, acknowledging that police alone cannot quell a run of deadly violence, has called on 10,000 black men to patrol the streets to reduce crime.


The Guardian Angels tried this and with only very limited success. I'll be curious to see how the Philadelphia "home guard" works out!

[Dagadiablo]

Yeah, I heard that on the radio the other day. Wow, good luck!

[Carol]

A (Filipina) friend of mine is a social worker in the city. Needless to say she does not have an easy job.

Fingers crossed for Commissioner Johnson and the good people of Philadelphia.

[arnisador]

Mixed Reviews for Neighbors in Arms (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/19/nyregion/19haven.html?_r=1&oref=slogin)



Eliezer Greer walked out of the Yeshiva of New Haven at dusk on Tuesday armed with a walkie-talkie in his hand and a loaded pistol at his side. Alfred Brooks Jr., 58, a former marine, was checking the batteries in his flashlight. Mr. Greer, 27, handed him the walkie-talkie.


Good news, Mr. Greer said: Their neighborhood, near Edgewood Park in the city’s western end, was quiet this evening. But he advised Mr. Brooks to keep an eye on the crowd of young people on Hobart Street.


For the past two months, Mr. Greer, Mr. Brooks and fellow volunteers in the Edgewood Park Defense Patrol — half of whom carry guns — have walked and biked through this neighborhood nightly to bring a sense of safety to an area they said had experienced an increase in crime and a decrease in police patrols.