Lawmakers Get Earful at "You Bet I Told" Community Forum by Rajesh Barnabas
Thu, Feb 28, 2008  February 27, 2008- Approximately 100 members of the community were deputized as "You Bet I Told" Police on Tuesday evening at Baber A.M.E. Church on Meigs St. in Rochester. This was part of a second phase of a campaign initiated in January by Pastor Marlowe Washington's congregation. At that time they purchased billboards around the city, advertising messages that countered the "anti-snitching" mindset. The campaign was designed as collaboration between the church, the police, and citizens. But tonight, Pastor Washington and police would face reluctant converts.
A spaghetti dinner was served in the basement of the Church before hand, warming up attendees on this cold and snowy night. Mayor Bob Duffy moved around the dining area, casually greeting people. Then later upstairs, he outlined his reasons for supporting the "You Bet I Told" campaign.
"Those who take lives cannot be protected because those who have murdered will do it again." He went on to say that the problem would not be solved with one meeting and that, "every church, every house, every street, every school" had to participate in the campaign so that "it becomes part of our culture in the city."
Jed Metzger, Associate Professor of Social Work at Nazareth College, then announced the format for the community discussion. Questions were placed on an overhead. The first was, "what can be done to bridge the gap between law enforcement officers and citizens?"
"It is not the law enforcement family's job to raise our children," said Joseph Joyner, Vice Chairman of the "You Bet I Told" campaign. "Parents need to step up. When I was growing up, there was no truancy officer. That officer was my mother."
One mother described why she has told her daughter not to speak up about crimes she has seen. "In the eyes of the drug dealers and gang members, we would be seen as snitches. At the end of the day that's the fact. As a mother, I am going to do whatever it takes to protect my daughter."
George Moses, a community activist, described an incident where his daughter witnessed a stabbing and he advised her to report it to the police and the next day her life was threatened for doing so. "In your professional opinion what should I do?"
A number of times, police officers attempted answers to various citizen acclamations and questions, but that only seemed to arouse greater impatience from the crowd.
"We want you to be learners tonight, we want you to just listen to what people have to say," said Rev. Iris Banister of St. Luke Tabernacle Community Church. And from then on, the officers all listened attentively.
District Attorney Mike Green suggested that people call his office if they are worried about their protection. "We can't do anything about it, if we don't know anything about it."
"Until you've walked in our shoes you won't really know what this is like," said a mother whose child had been murdered recently.
"What can we do to get people to step forward before they are in your shoes?" asked the moderator - Professor Masters. "Nothing," the woman responded.
"It comes down to an issue of trust," said an angry Russell Davis, "and that must be earned."
"I understand you are angry," said Metzger - the moderator, "but can we try to come up with solutions for building that trust?"
Davis then shot back, now away from the microphone but still clearly audible, "You can't possibly know how angry I am because you have never been racially profiled by the police or treated with disrespect as I have."
"You're right, I didn't say I could understand your anger, and maybe I would if I was profiled," responded Metzger.
Another gentleman spoke on the same theme. "You've got to get people who live in the city to become law enforcement officers. How are you going to build trust if they haven't ever seen you?"
The moderator then moved on to the second question of the forum: What are the assets in our community that will build trust?
"If there were activities between law enforcement and our children under happy circumstances, that would help," said Sheri L. Lise, Public Presence Manager for Eastman Kodak. "The first encounters of young people - and even children - with the police is so often a negative one."
School psychologist Dr. Stacey B. Killings echoed these thoughts. "We have to start putting programs into the middle school that build these relationships." Killings pointed out the fact that, of all the law enforcement officials attending this meeting, "I don't see any women up there, nor are there very many men of color."
There were some positive emotions conveyed. "We need a different approach to the same problem," said Charles Lowry, a life-long city resident. "One of the assets I like about Rochester is that we really do rally together to solve problems."
Debbie Fickess of Fairport spoke about an Adopt-a-Block program that she's involved with around Smith St. "We need people who are willing to spend time, not just money." Her son had been killed near the Eastman School in 1993.
At the end of the night, Pastor Washington thanked the officers for listening to the community. "We asked them to just sit and they did." Many in the crowd rose to their feet applauding these officers' patience tonight.
Then, Rochester Police Department Deputy Steven Scott had the entire congregation of citizens raise their right arm and pledge partnership as "You Bet I Told" Deputies. Hundreds of buttons were handed out along with t-shirts with the same proclamation.
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