Response: Rethinking Law, Order in Norristown

Today, I wanted to share my response to an article posted on Philly.com discussing the policing change in Norristown. You may follow the link in the last sentence to read if you haven't already to understand my response.

I would like to first THANK the Norristown Police Department and Chief Talbot for making the effort to reduce crime in Norristown. Everyday it seems like we are waking up to another story of an officer using excessive force on their residents and the lack of trust in other departments. I am happy that Norristown has been proactive in this to increase trust among residents and avoided any major issues in our community we are working hard to bring back. 

Crime in Norristown has gone down, but it's still here...we can not ignore that. This Spring, we have seen three shootings around town which is an increase compared to the same time frame last year. So is crime going back up? I highly doubt it, but it is something that needs to be looked at to prevent this in the future. Typically when the weather gets warm, there is a short spike in overall crime then tapers off. 

On June 3rd, NPD has created an event called "Coffee with a Cop" at Dunkin Donuts on West Main Street. You can view more details on the flyer or visit our community calendar for more information. The timing of the event is tough as is occurs on a weekday and in the morning. I decided to go into work late on this day to have a chance to meet officers in my community and report on what happens at the event. If you are not working, I ask that you attend and introduce yourself to the officers and express any concerns you may have.

On the following week, NPD is hosting a Public COMPSTAT meeting at Montgomery Host Fire Company on Freedley. Information is available in the flyer above or you can view the event on our community calendar. This meeting is an opportunity to see current crime trends in town and how NPD has addressed the issue. This is also an opportunity to see what is being done to reduce crime in Norristown and possibly speak to Chief Talbot and his leadership team. 

I will repeat this again, Norristown Police should be recognized for their proactive approach regarding better policing strategy through community feedback. The police and residents need to work together more to increase trust and reduce major crimes. If the officers begin to know the residents and vice versa, we can see better communication and stronger bond. This has been absent in our community in recent years and it seems as if we may have found a solution. 

Also, I have mentioned many times on TNP's blog and Facebook page for everyone to join Nextdoor. Today a neighbor gave a heads up about a break-in and we were able to reach out to our neighbors instantly to be alert. NPD has stepped up patrol in our area to help. There is also a feature available to cities to join the site to send out alerts immediately via text/email which I hope the Municipality can jump on like other cities around the country.

Norristown Police and residents still have a long way to go before we have 100% trust and no crime in the community. Embrace these first couple of baby steps and let's work together for a better Norristown!

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Engaging Norristown Through Social Media

In today's blog, I would like to share again ways we can become more engaged as a community through social media. Social media and networking is becoming a part of our lives more and more each day. TNP started our movement through an online campaign and Facebook. Nextdoor is a social network that allows neighbors to interact with each other online. Think of it as an online version of community watch. Plus, it's safer than Facebook!

Nextdoor is the free and private social network for neighborhoods. On Nextdoor, neighbors create private websites for their neighborhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another, and exchange local advice and recommendations. 

Thousands of neighborhoods across the country are already using Nextdoor to:

• Find trustworthy local resources, such as babysitters, plumbers, and dentists 
• Report suspicious activity and local crime 
• Organize neighborhood events, such as garage sales and block parties 
• Get assistance in finding lost pets and missing packages Sell or give away items, like an old kitchen table or bike 

Nextdoor’s mission is to use the power of technology to build stronger and safer neighborhoods. The inspiration behind Nextdoor was to give people a social network to connect them to one of the most important communities in their lives - the neighborhood. Nextdoor believes that when neighbors start talking, good things happen. 

Nextdoor is headquartered in San Francisco and was founded by a group of entrepreneurs who have a passion for creating meaningful online communities. 

Nextdoor is funded by Benchmark, Greylock Partners, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Tiger Global Management, Shasta Ventures, Comcast Ventures, DAG Ventures, Bezos Expeditions, A-Grade Investments, Google Ventures, Allen & Company, and Pinnacle Ventures, as well as other investors and Silicon Valley angels.

To join, use this link: https://nextdoor.com/invite/dhrqefagdjheqbktyueb

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Stop the Madness!

The title to the blog says it all. Over the past couple weeks, crime in Norristown has increased. This is an alarming reality and needs to be addressed by us residents. Problems were handled without weapons... today, that's not the case. That's a problem.

Norristown has many reputations, some great and some bad. But the great thing about bad reputations is that they can be reversed. It's never an overnight task, but with some work from the residents, it can happen. Norristown has one bad reputation as the 68th Most Dangerous Place To Live In America. For those keeping track, you would know we were at 59th last year so things are improving. There's always a silver lining in Norristown. Unfortunately, with the way things are going with recent shootings, we may stay steady for 2014.

If you look at it, the shootings are duplicates which keeps our rate high. The reason why I say they are duplicate offenses is because of the string of violence after a shooting. The problem in Norristown is the need to retaliate after a shooting. Victims refuse to tell the correct story to police and try to "solve the problem" themselves. It's almost as if there is not enough protection by police to ensure anonymity when a victim comes forward to police. That's a problem. Residents need to break the silence and put an end to crime in Norristown. Police also need to work with residents and protect them from an incident happening again.

The next step we need to take is to come together as residents for a solution to this spike in crime. Here are some tools and tips that I feel can help Norristown become a safer town:

Nextdoor

As mentioned earlier in a blog, Nextdoor is an essential app to have to create a better connection in town. Since writing about it, 86 residents have joined and the site is becoming more active each day. The site is free to join, all you need is an email address. Also, you don't need the app to use the site, simply log on to Nextdoor.com and a neighbor can verify you. The site is also safe, no personal information will be used, you can change what you show to neighbors. You can post important tips and updates to share with your neighbors. A cool feature they have is a trick-or-treat map in time for Halloween. You can see which neighborhoods are giving out candy to avoid walking around town. Also, town police can collaborate with the site for free to send out safety messages to residents and keep them in the loop on things. This can be important if an incident occurs in your neighborhood and you don't find out until two days after when the local media picks up on the story.

Norristown Youth Development Coalition

NYDC will be kicking off again in November for teens ages 13-18 who wish to make a difference in the community. This is a great program to encourage youth to join, as this is the group of citizens that are most prone to these crimes. A teen involved in an after school program is a great way to keep them out of trouble. Teens have also been more likely to go to college and become leaders in the community when they are involved in activities outside of school. NYDC creates a program for them that they will be able to discuss the problems young adults face and how we can correct those issues. Montgomery County Opportunities Industrialization Center and The Norristown Project will combine forces in making this program a great success in Norristown. Together, we will encourage our youth to make a difference! NYDC will begin meeting on Thursdays from 5-7pm at the OIC building. Also, in the Spring, we will have special VIP guests exclusively to members in this free program!

Talk to Others

There is no secret that a community that works together, succeeds together. A couple months ago when I was going door-to-door to spread the word about my organization launching, I noticed one thing: people on the street seemed to change their mood when you spoke to them. Attending school in the south, it's common for a complete stranger on a porch to wave at passing cars. No joke, this is entertainment in Virginia! But one thing they can all say, they know who their neighbors are. How many times have you walked down Marshall Street and greeted a complete stranger? I bet the answer is none. Even if you say "hi" or "how's it going?", it is making a difference. You begin to recognize that face and the conversations begin to get longer and friendships are built.

Norristown residents constantly say "everyone knows everyone" but I don't totally believe that. The reason I say that is because we don't make an effort to talk to others. Honestly, if everyone knew everyone, crime wouldn't be this high with many of the criminals getting away with it. Crime is smaller in a community that knows everyone because, let's face it, someone will tell on you so you don't do it.

Also, Norristown is faced with a language barrier among English, French, and Spanish speaking residents. Take some time to learn a second language and practice conversations by speaking with a person of that language. A bilingual community has been proven to score higher on test scores and has resulted in lower unemployment rates. In today's economy, a person that knows more than one language is more likely to be hired than a person who only speaks English. It's never too late to learn a language! Since graduating high school 5 years ago, I am fluent in French, studied Spanish, and currently studying Japanese. I even change the language when watching movies to get a kick out of it! Try a new language, it's fun!

Work With Police

Over the years, the public trust for authority has struggled to satisfy residents. You read on the news about a foot chase and the officer couldn't keep up and loses the criminal. Then the case get's cold, a criminal is still on the street. Police then lose credibility because they are not doing their part to protect the streets. What needs to happen is an open discussion again between residents and police to get a better understanding of crime in town. Many of our officers did not grow up and Norristown and are relatively new to the neighborhood and may not know of all of Norristown's issues. Talking with police and working with them on creating safer streets is key to a community like Norristown. Also, word is that council will select a new police chief so things may be looking up in town! If this happens soon, make an effort to introduce yourself with the new Chief and ask how they will improve safety in Norristown.

Let's work together to make a safer community!

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