THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 18, 1996 TAG: 9607180323
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SUSIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 64 lines
City Councilman Charles F. Brown wants to wage peace, and he's looking for volunteers to help him.
``For so long, we've been at war within our neighborhoods,'' said Brown, who represents the Cypress Borough and was recently chosen vice mayor by the council. ``We've got to end the war and focus on peace.''
Since being elected to the City Council two years ago, Brown has heard numerous complaints from his constituents, particularly from neighborhoods plagued by drug trafficking and other types of crime, he said Wednesday.
He believes the communities can work together to solve the problems, much like partners in a good marriage.
``The reason my wife and I have stayed together so long is that we work toward peace, loving and caring,'' said Brown, who has been married 27 years. ``I want to see that type of thing in neighborhood teamwork.''
So far, he has recruited officials from the police department and the inspections bureau to listen to the citizens' concerns. And he has gotten encouragement from community and civic league leaders.
Now, he has invited the residents, particularly those in neighborhoods along East Washington Street, where he has heard most of the complaints, to a forum to discuss ways to combat crime.
He has told them: ``If you're really serious about crime, let's do something about it.''
Drug dealers disappear from street corners when police patrols show up, then come back as soon as they leave, Brown said. And many residents are too scared to talk to the authorities.
``We have to re-engineer the way we do things,'' he said. ``Nobody is talking. Neighbors are afraid. We've got to change this around.''
That may mean going into troubled neighborhoods and talking to each citizen to find out what their concerns are, he said.
``If we go to every household and sit down, they are not going to be hesitant to call if someone comes to destroy that peace,'' he said. ``Crime would flee from those neighborhoods.''
Other neighborhoods that are not high-crime areas may need a different strategy, such as occasional spot-checking by police, he said.
``We want to let them know we want peace, that we want to be your friend,'' he said.
As part of his peace initiative, Brown envisions a year-round program at John F. Kennedy Middle School that would help students with their school work, then allow them to participate in athletics.
``If they can do their homework, they are going to feel better about themselves,'' he said. ``That's a positive. Then they can go get on a team.''
The structured environment would keep the youngsters off the street and out of trouble, he said.
Another plan would include a vigorous push by the city to enforce building-code violations and demolish abandoned houses that are known to be used for drug trafficking, he said.
If everyone is working toward peace, the few drug dealers would stand out, he said. ``Everyone will know them and they would get out of Dodge quick,'' he said.
Today's meeting is just the start, Brown said. After listening to the group's concerns, he hopes to work with city officials to form an action plan, then meet again and present it to the residents.
``I think in my heart that these types of things can be done,'' he said. ``There's no problem big enough that we can't solve it together.'' MEMO: The public forum will be held at 5:30 p.m. today at Tabernacle
Christian Outreach Life Center, 1309 E. Washington Street. by CNB