Michael Buck reports for the Express-Times that two buildings were raided simultaneously in the West Ward today, one on the 100 block of S. 5th Street--a beautifully maintained street on the border of the West Ward and downtown, --and one on the 1000 block of Butler Street, in connection with a suspected crack cocaine ring. Several arrests were made. This joint bust by the EPD and state police was the result of a month-long sting, during which thousands of dollars worth of crack was sold weekly. What's interesting is that the sales were mostly downtown, not in the West Ward.
Posts
12 comments:
More great action by the Easton Police. Thanks guys for making our city a better place to live.
It's restaurant week, so I had lunch at the State Cafe.
I then walked past this rooming house and thought, "nicely maintained...I bet good people live here."
Look up "naive" to see my picture.
yeah, that it was on that particular block was a surprise--it's one of the cutest, well-maintained blocks in Easton.
so this is where the concept of "Clean and Safe" is suddenly up for debate--does "clean and safe" suggest that clean MEANS safe, or is it just an expression of two separate desires?
the misconception, in my mind, is that the West Ward is somehow separate from downtown, and that because downtown is cleaner, less-blighted and better-maintained, it is safer.
but i'm not so sure the stats support that...
for anyone who can make it, the mayor a press conf today at 3pm on the 6th floor of the alpha building (1 S. Third Street):
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2011/08/easton_mayor_sal_panto_jr_to_t.html
the mayor is announcing a new program targeting 40 blighted buildings, 20 of which will be part of a new "Clean It or Lein It" initiative. Should be interesting.
a follow-up article from the ET on this bust (5 people arrested):
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/easton/index.ssf/2011/08/five_arrested_in_easton_crack-.html
special thanks to the EPD!
This operation ran for nearly two years, on a prominent and highly visible corner, on one of the most promising streets in the city and all within the downtown district.
While applauding the arrests shouldn't we be asking "how is it possible that an operation like this (and SO many others) can continue for such a length of time in view of the public, children, families, tourists and visitors to the State Theatre?"
Doesn't it beg for an approach to dismantling drug operations that don't fall squarely on the shoulders of the police but embrace more comprehensive strategies like what many other communities have done?
Three years ago city legislators and law enforcement were introduced to successful interventions that would have been able to quickly address this drug house in away that used the community not only to stop the drug dealing but to provide redemptive alternatives for those involved.
With all the rhetoric from city legislators about being 'part of the solution,' and I agree, then why not adopt different and more effective solutions with the city's drug operations?
excellent question, Terrence.
How does Miller know this operation ran for 2 years?
probably because his nonprofit has been involved in outreach to youth who want to get out of gangs for years now, as well as liaising with families who are concerned about drug activity among their neighbors, and he sat on the city's anti-gang task force a few years back, flew to the carolina's for a anti-gang conference with police chief palmer, etc. he has remained dedicated to community-based solutions for drug-related crime, but the city has not embraced these more progressive strategies yet.
Things that make you go uum?? There is a disfunctional drug dealing family near 8th and Spring Garden Sts. They've been dealing for years. Neighbors have been complaining for years. We've come to the conclusion that in addition to selling drugs, they must also be informants to the police on their competition. If they're not narcs, then we've got ourselves some dirty cops. What other explanation could there be! Well, if the cops can't take them out, let's hope their competition does.
Anon 9:29--thanks for the info!
Post a Comment