New Haven Independent

Bethea, who runs a drill team in the Dixwell neighborhood, was one of several people honored by the mayor at a city press conference Wednesday for helping quell city crime by being strong parents and leaders for kids. Like several present, he recently lost a son in a shooting. The event at the Dixwell police substation brought together people who are working hard to keep youth from getting sucked into the turf wars that killed two young bystanders last summer.

Coming off of a violence-free, feel-good Freddie Fixer Parade(organized by Larry Young, pictured below at left), Dixwell leaders had high hopes for a safer summer, but stressed the need for everyone, not just cops or activists, to unite.

“We had a Freddie Fixer that we can all be proud of. I believe that we care enough to take back our communities,” said Shirley Ellis-West (pictured above). Ellis-West works for New Haven Family Alliance, which was just awarded the roughly $400,000 contract to run the city’s Street Outreach Worker Program. The program, which will connect at-risk kids with mentoring and social services, will be rolled out in mid-June, according to City Hall.

The city’s plan to hire a flood of new cops won’t make an impact until December. Community leaders said Dixwell can’t depend entirely on policing to solve its problems: In the words of Bethea, “It takes for us to change the community.”

What do parents need to do to keep their kids safe this summer?

Sign up for something constructive, replied Dixwell’s top cop and community policing pro Sgt. Anthony Duff. “Parents need to involve [their kids] in something — something that will remove that kid from the regular routine of hanging out and doing nothing all summer.”

With school ending soon, the city is soon to kick off the second year of its Open Schools program. The program, designed to give teens a place to do sports and stay out of trouble, will expand from five to nine locations this year. The first five open on Tuesday, May 29. The last four open on July 9.

Bethea’s drill team is accepting members, aged five and up — call 606-4564, or 946-7568, to sign up. (It’s free.) Officer Shafiq Abdussabur’s CTRIBAT program, credited with helping teens find positive alternatives to the streets, will continue this summer in expanded form.

Besides activities, though, leaders said more needs to be done in the home.

“The biggest thing these kids don’t have is a relationship — a positive, ongoing relationship,” said Abdussabur.

Bethea’s popular drill team also serves as a family of support for its young participants. While many have stable, supportive homes, others come from parents who aren’t involved in their kids’ lives, said Bethea. “We need to start to go door to door — tell ‘em how to be a parent. A lot of them don’t know.”

Tracey Suggs, who lost her 13-year-old son Justus last July and has been fighting passionately to help others avoid the same fate, had a mother’s wisdom to share.

“Be aware of what your kids are doing — don’t be afraid to talk to them. They may be in danger or feel like they have to carry a gun.” If you don’t want the next bullet to hit your child, talk to them, Suggs advised. “Let your kid know, I’m going to be here no matter what.”