Unfortunately, the EPD did not get that message from the Mayor, as Lt. Remaley replied to me about a resident's call regarding possible gang activity on her block (based on information in Terrence Miller's attachment) saying that:
"...this type of misinformation hinders our law enforcement efforts dramatically because it causes paranoia within the residents..."
Being that Terrence Miller is the former Chairman of the very Anti-Gang Task Force that the Mayor refers to in his email, I think it's safe to say that we have not been fed misinformation by some alarmist resident, but accurate information from someone with years of experience in crime-reduction and outreach. So while Lt. Remaley must be referring to information from the other email, I am concerned that this other email has caused the EPD to treat calls on gang activity from residents with less credence.
I am further concerned that if my email has been the subject of spin, that it's quite possible that the other email was also exaggerated and subject to the same spin, when someone within the Courthouse may have simply been emailing others at work, or trying to notify residents to heightened activity in our area. Unfortunately, the Mayor and the EPD seem to have "a need-to-know" philosophy, the idea being that somehow, "what we don't know won't hurt us" if they protect us without our knowing what is going on. This is in direct contrast to the idea of cooperating with residents to compile information, a rapport that we and the EPD have been working hard on for the last couple of years.
I want it to be clear that the purpose of this blog is to a) inform and b) activate, residents of the West Ward who strive to revitalize our neighborhood. I do my best to balance and report both positive and negative news as it comes available, with the intent of empowering our neighbors with information and tools needed to engage in our collective effort and bring about change together.
There is an article in the Express Times on line today entitled "Easton police say e-mail circulating about pending gang turf war in city is overblown" where the police suggest that they have the gang situation under control and that there's no reason for residents to worry. The reporter did not do his or her homework (no name is attributed, just "Staff Writer") to get to the source of the emails, or interview residents about their actual experience, and in fact, no one was interviewed for the story outside of the EPD. Note the comments posted after the article:
Express Times Article on Email Circulating Re: New Gang Activity
I hope that you will make room in your calendar to attend the next Safety Committee Meeting on August 27th at 7pm at the Salvation Army at 1110 Northamtpon Street, so that we can meet with Lt. Remaley, clear up this issue and discuss the issues of information, misinformation, resident/police rapport and coordination of efforts to reduce crime in the West Ward together.
Posts
15 comments:
I believe you are doing the right think by posting what you feel is important to the neighborhoods of the West Ward. The mayor and the police should be thankful that there is a source of accurate information such as this blog. In fact, if left to their information pipeline we would be forever in the dark.
Keep up the good work and keep the information flowing. I for one support your efforts.
I agree, what you and Terrance did was a good service to our community. There will always be people who live their lives in fear and will take anything they see that is not positive and explode it into hysteria (the sky is falling). We need to be informed but not be fearful, just educated and make smart choices...Knowledge IS power!
We can't live life pretending things don't exist or blame other people, races or sexes for our problems and shortcomings. We need to be aware of what is going on and be part of the solution to the problem
Noel,
I received that "other" email this weekend. After confirming from several Easton sources (not you) that it is basdically accurate if dated, I posted it on my blog on Monday.
An ET reporter saw it and asked me to foreward it to hi. I did so, and it looks like he spent the day gathering the material for the articles that published on Tuesday.
The mayor warned you that this email is alarmist, etc. But frankly, the mayor is also interested in attracting and retaining business, so I suspect that contributed to his view.
I redacted one portion of the email that referred to a specific business. But I felt the public had a right to know what is going on.
Below is the email, in its entirety.
"I wanted to give everyone the heads up that I received information yesterday that the Hoover Crip Gang has moved into the Easton area. This is an original gang from Los Angeles. They are here for 1 of 2 reasons, the Easton drug trade is very lucrative right now or they are checking on the status of other sets in the area. They are putting a lot of pressure on the younger kids both physically and mentally to deal their drugs for them. In speaking with Wes Johnson - he believes that they have no plan on leaving as they can make A LOT OF MONEY HERE.
"I drove around Easton yesterday and found taggings of this gang along 6th and Pine Streets. The members are generally older - 18, 19, 20 years of age, wearing their pants below 'normal' with typically blue boxers and exhibiting orange flags (bandannas). Mike O and I saw 2 of them walking up Ferry Street on our way back from lunch yesterday.
"It should be noted that Easton was predominately Bloods who have controlled the area for the past few years. Some of these known Blood Members are running scared and have left the area since the Hoover's moved in. I did not find any Blood markings over the Crip tags which is a good thing - once they start tagging over - we can see an all out WAR.
"The Hoovers' typical initiation is either a drive by shooting or committing burglaries. They have been seen congregating outside of restaurant establishments, particularly [redacted] around 8 p.m. and later. Several of them were seen on Sunday during Heritage Day. They were sitting around the fountain in Center Square and finally moved when several police were in the area. They were wearing bright orange headbands (as if to say, HERE WE ARE).
"Although this gang was established in LA - the members that are migrating to Easton are typically from Orange, NJ and Newark, NJ. However, they are bringing with them the power and mentality of the Hoover Crips from LA - which is dangerous.
"I received information today that at least 2 were arrested on Walnut Street. They are usually scattered up Ferry and Walnut Street - a concerned person advised me to 'please be careful leaving work and stay away from Walnut Street, right below Ferry.' The group was out in full in Dutchtown Park yesterday. As of late, they don't really appear to have gone beyond 9th Street'."
Hi Noel:
I feel I need to clarify a few things. First and foremost no one is trying to hide things from the public. The email that Bernie O'Hare placed here was the email I referred to saying it was alarmist. It was emant to encourage her fellow employees to be concious of the activity if and when they left the juvenile center after hours. It went beyond that in that it did name a very fine business in the West Ward, one of the pioneers so to speak who built their business and rehabbed properties when no one was moving to the West Ward. It was untrue and it hurt their business to be associated with this gang.
As far as Terence Miller is concerned I just wrote on the Express blog that he does a fine job and we appreciate his work.
This is a problem that takes a lot of time and effort by everyone in the neighborhood, City Hall, EPD and the anti-gang task force. And we must be united in our efforts.
I drive the West Ward neighborhood many nights of the week at various times. Tonight for example I noticed that all of the lights in Dutchtown park on Walnut St., are out. Why hasn't a neighbor reported them out. I sent an email to Dave Hopkins this evening making this a priority. No matter when I go there I don't see anyone, apparently this is their park where they do their business according to the email. I have yet been able to validate it.
By the way, one of the addresses given in the email is right next door to my cousins house. I drive by there also at all hours of the night and have yet to see any activity. I will keep checking but please remind your readers that when they see something they should report it and when they see street lights out to call 610.250.6683 to report them. The city pays a flat monthly fee on lights so it's not like we are trying to save money.
Thanks for the oppotrunity.
Bernie, thank you so much for posting--I really appreciate it. The writer's tone to me seems casual and addressed to someone he or she knows--perhaps this was only intended for others at work. The Mayor mentioned that it came from the Courthouse. If someone forwarded without permission, that would be unfortunate, but it wouldn't change the validity of the information.
Thanks so much for lifting the shroud of mystery over "the email." Other than "war" in all caps, I don't see anything inflammatory or fear-mongering about this email, rather it seems a simple report of pertinent facts and details that are useful for us, the people who live in the midst of the heightened activity, to know.
Again, it may not ever have been intended to inform the public, hence the casual familiar tone, and we all know that our tone in emails with people we know well is usually different than when trying to inform the general public about something. It seems, rather, that the Mayor and EPD for some reason are spinning the information in these emails to cast doubt on the information itself, as well as the source of the information, and that is disappointing.
As for the ET reporter gathering info for the story, what has happened to quality journalism today? Since when does the newspaper print straight propaganda from the police department? How can they look themselves in the mirror when printing articles about how safe we should or shouldn't feel, without even bothering to find the people who sent the emails, or interviewing WW residents to ask them what they've seen and noticed--why not ask residents how safe they feel? Where is the story in the "story" here? Why did they not contact Terrence Miller for the story? If the ET insists on being a mouthpiece for the City, then they can't get upset when readers start turning to blogs for their news.
I myself, am not a journalist. But at least I'm not claiming to be one, and getting paid to be one, while printing propaganda.
By the way everyone should check out Bernie's blog, Lehigh Valley Ramblings (which is much livelier and slicker than mine!) at http://lehighvalleyramblings.blogspot.com
I understand the problem with an email identifying a local business with a gang, and that is why I redacted the reference. It is a fine establishment. But with all due respect, nothing about that email is alarmist. I ran it by several Easton regulars, who confirm it is dated but basically accurate. In fact, the EPD basically confirmed it as well.
Information like this should always be made available to the public. You have always been up front about Shadtown's crime problem, and have dealt with it honestly and proactively. Your willingness to participate in blog discussions is refreshing. But I suggest that publication of that email was warranted. First, it led to the ET story that provides a little more perspective. Second, it resulted in your clarifying comment.
Mayor Panto, I agree with you about the lights--in fact, I hope that at some point the City can start a "Lights On" campaign to encourage residents to put energy-saver bulbs in their porch lights and leave them on at night. It would make the streets a little less dark for those parking late at night, and give the blocks a warmer feel of support from neighbors who leave their lights on. I do not consider this a waste of electricity, as energy-saver bulbs use very little energy and last an extremely long time--plus the energy would be exchanged for a sense of security on the street, which is in no way a waste. I leave both my porch lights on every night, for others who may be parking and walking by.
This was actually Ken Jones's idea a long time ago-- another example of a great idea that has come from our residents here. It seems like a campaign that wouldn't take much money at all to happen.
Residents--please take a look around at any street lights you see out, and call it in! Lighting is very important to changing the general "vibe" on our streets and making them safer.
There is one on S. 8th between Ferry and Lehigh that has been out for a while now...
The above comment is directed to Mayor Panto, who was kind enough to post his thoughts.
Noel, I consider your blog one of the BEST local blogs out there, and check it every time you post someting. It is hyper local, a real public service, and I'm sure Hizzoner would readily agree.
The email came my way this weekend. It has been circulating for several weeks. It probably was not intended for wide distribution. it was writteen by a worker in the Northampton County Probation Dep't by someone who is obviously familiar w/ gangs, thus giving it an air of credibility. One of the Easton people I had spoken to had already seen it. I was told that some Easton businesses did not want the word to go out. That would be a mistake. While I agree that naming a specific business is a mistake, sunshine is always the best disinfectant.
Keep up the great work. I'm going to post the Mayor's remarks on my blog, with a link back to you. I think people should have his perspective, too.
Tonight was another small example of the "need to know" policy that needs to change in Easton. Three officers were walking around in the dark with flashlights for about 20 minutes, looking in people's cars and walking up and down the street, without speaking to anyone. One resident who was visiting a friend down the block, saw an officer standing on her porch and shining a light into a car parked in front of her house. She went home to ask if anything was wrong, at which point the officer showed her a photograph and said the character they were looking for had committed violence against a woman.
While I was surprised and glad to see officers out of their cars and walking for a change, the next step is actually engaging with residents (voluntarily, not just because they're approached by a resident). If we had community policy in Easton, officers would already know everyone on the block, and know what numbers to call and what doors to knock on for information when they are looking for someone. They would be going to residents for information, rather than avoiding residents, and simply receiving information.
I remember when the bike patrols were introduced earlier this summer, and Chief Palmer asked me to invite residents out to meet the new bike patrol officers. Not only did residents not get to meet them, but their names weren't even announced, and the press conference was conducted--no joke--with a chain-linked fence between the officers and the residents. When I asked to meet them, Jeff Warren tried to discourage me and said, "they're not really like that." When I insisted, the officers mostly shifted and looked away as if I was making them feel uncomfortable by wanting to meet them.
Resident/EPD rapport has improved a lot in the last two years, but we still have a long way to go. And a policy shift with regard to communicating with residents is not something that requires official "Community Policing" funding. It just requires a change in attitude City-wide: to start looking at residents as part of the solution, rather than part of the problem.
We are hard-working, very busy people, who carve time out of our lives to dedicate to revitalizing the neighborhood in a variety of ways. We have seen a lot, and are not easily panicked, so the sooner the City and the EPD realize they're are wasting a value resource of human capital in the fight to reduce crime, the better. Many times the Mayor and the EPD have said that residents are the "eyes and ears" of the police department, which is true. When those "eyes and ears" call, it's not because they're alarmists, it's because something is happening, and they actually have enough faith in the EPD now, unlike a few years ago, to believe that they will take them seriously and respond.
Let's try to build on that.
Thanks Bernie, I agree. I initially did not post to the blog because I had heard that the City was concerned about scaring vendors who were already on the fence about staying downtown. I love the restaurants downtown, and out of sensitivity, chose to email to my list, rather than post to the blog. I am only posting now, because it's already in the paper.
And I am glad that you redacted the name of the business named in this person's email. I think that it's important to note for the sake of the establishment, and the Courthouse employee who sent the email out, that he or she quite possibly a) probably never intended for the public to read it, and b) said that gang members have been seen outside these establishments, not in them. Some of the hype going around characterizes the email by saying things like " to say such-n-such restaurant is a gang hangout is really damaging!" That clearly insinuates something that was said in the email, and this is where spin gets damaging.
There are two ways to go about being alarmist--aggressively, and passively. One can say, "The sky is falling!" or one can say, "People are being alarmist and saying the sky is falling!" Both are damaging. It's time to take it all down a notch.
I hope to see residents at the Safety Committee Meeting on Aug. 27th at the Salvation Army, 7pm to discuss the gang issue with Lt. Remaley, our Community Liaison Officer, so we can all get on the same page and work together to combat this problem.
Mayor Panto, I also want to ditto Bernie's comment about it being refreshing to have a mayor post to the blog. We may not always agree, but we both clearly want Easton to make a come-back and I'm glad you post so that we can get your perspective. A blog would be completely boring without differing opinions, so thanks for posting.
Will you be at the Safety Committee Meeting?
Wow. What's really alarming is that 26,000 residents are relying on the ET for news about this issue--especially since the ET had the email. I also know they had Terrence's packet more than a week ago. As for the email, in context, an email to co-workers about the need to for safety as they work with kids on probation, is not alarming, it's good teamwork. The only mistake seems to be that the email wasn't marked for internal distribution only, or sent in a way that would prevent forwarding or copying. Even naming the restaurant as a locator is OK in the original context of the email (and by the way, I saw a huge gang of kids purposely blocking traffic one day on that corner, but not so much since).
There are a couple of potential real stories here: What's the county doing about finding the employee(s) who sent an internal email outside of the county, along with all of the issues that action has caused? Another would be a really interesting trend story about how very cool it is that residents are sharing information with each other, through this blog and Bernie's blog, and how government is trying to grapple with how to respond and work with this dynamic. Or...how do people separate myth from reality where gangs are concerned? As an example, a lot of people think these kids are all dangerous thugs. That's not true...it's so much more complex than that.
I'm also really sad to see that Lt. Remaley said sharing the information made people paranoid. I would think police would be grateful for any kind of tip that might highlight where gangs MIGHT be considering setting up shop, or serving as a look-out. There's no harm, it seems, in getting a tip that a new bunch of people wearing orange or yellow or red hanging out on a neighbor's corner. We can let police know, then leave it up to them to determine whether the kids are truly just hanging out, or whether they're up to something.
And Mayor, thanks for posting here. By the way, I noticed the lights were out Monday night but was in the city all day yesterday and didn't have a chance to call. Thanks for seeing it AND doing something about it!
And Noel (and Bernie) thanks for your service to our community!
Thanks, Theresa. You're so right about the complexity that a story like this could have, if we had some proactive journalism going on. I watched The Killing Fields the other night for the first time and realized sadly how far backwards journalism has slid since the 60s & 70s, when reporters took real risks to get a story. Nowadays it seems like the biggest risk that most self-proclaimed journalists take, is the risk of not being liked by elected officials.
And I also want to echo what you said about not all gang members being criminals--many just join a gang for protection and a sense of family that they are not getting at home. But there is always the danger, once in, that they will get pulled into criminal activity at some point.
The EPD should be thanking residents--sincerely--not just because it's policy to thank them for the call, but with the recognition that they've just been given information to help them track trends with, at the very least, and criminal activity at most.
For instance, the Courthouse email says that at the date of the email, Hoover Crips had not been spotted above 9th Street. So if residents beyond 9th call in a sighting down the road, the police will know that trend has shifted. Information leading to a drug bust is not the only valuable information in combatting the problem.
I understand that the EPD might be overwhelmed with additional calls right now, and we don't want to make the job harder for officers that are already working very hard. What might be helpful would be for the EPD to set up a protocol for tracking trends with residents, so that they send reports via email to Lt. Remaley, if the person they are observing does not appear to be in the midst of a drug hand-off. It's just an idea...but the point here is that rather than shutting out residents, the EPD needs to be brainstorming together with us to figure out the most effective way to communicate this important information.
Noel,
As far as journalism goes, I have found the MSM to be understaffed, trying desperately to keep their heads above water. But the reporters and editors have been great if overworked. I'd like to slam them, especially that bastard Joe Owens, but they perform a vital public service. They are the only things standing between us and tyranny.
I published my story Monday. That morning, ET reporter Michael Buck asked for a copy of the email. He ran it by the police and reviewed court records and the paper had a major story the following day. The police certainly donwplayed it, but if you read between the lines, they were confirming everything in that email.
The ET responded immediately. The ET is a gritty, in-your-face newspaper, excelling at these kinds of stories. Ther subscriptions are actually going up, contrary to the national trend. I'd say that Joe Owens' own style has something to do with that, but he's already too full of himself and already forces his reporters to post 8x10 glossies of himself in their homes.
On Monday, I went to the police department myself. I could not get in the building. I called various numbers and always got busy signals. So I was unable to get the police perspective, an area where Mike succeeded.
I believe that we are at our best when we complement each other. Your blog, for example, provides insight and perspectives about West Ward that the paper lacks the staff or manpower to cover. It is sad that its resources are so limited, and I hope we can fill the gap until people recognize they need to know what is going on around them.
Bernie, if this was Facebook, I'd hit the "like" button. Thanks for that insightful post.
Post a Comment