Markeshia Ricks Photo
Edwards, Bartlett at Tuesday night’s Byrne grant hearing.
New top cop Abdussabur.
Newhallville neighbors are figuring out how to fight crime without fighting each other, and they have a new top cop to help.
That was the upshot of a hearing Tuesday night of the Board of Alders Public Safety and Human Services committee at City Hall.
Police Chief Dean Esserman said with input of Newhallville leaders and neighbors, he will appoint Sgt. Shafiq Abdussabur as the new district manager for Newhallvile and East Rock. Abdussabur is taking the reins from recently retired Lt. Herb Sharp, who built strong relationships with neighbors during his three years as district manager. Abdussabur, a city native, has a long history of involvement in community youth anti-violence programs.
City Youth Director Jason Bartlett told alders at the hearing that Abdussabur plays a key role in helping to implement a $1 million U.S. Department of Justice “Byrne Criminal Justice Innovation” grant New Haven won to enlist neighbors in the quest of making Newhallville safer over the long term.
The hearing was held to update alders on how that money is being spent, after an initial period of factional fighting about it in the neighborhood. The grant aims to enlist cops and neighbors in longer-range planning to tackle the roots of crime, not just chase after incidents.
Bartlett said that the planning phase of the grant including the hiring of a project manager, Arthur Edwards, is nearly complete, and the implementation phase is expected to get underway next month. The new district manager will work with Edwards to further develop community policing efforts in the neighborhood and tackling neighborhood crime hot spots.
He told alders that Sharp had been an integral part of the planning for the police side of the grant because the neighborhood trusted him; he said it had been impressed upon Esserman that his replacement be made soon and be someone the community would trust.
Until recently, mistrust characterized much of the discussion around the city’s decision to pursue a grant that specifically focused on reducing crime in Newhallville. The three alders who represent Newhallville — Delphine Clyburn, Brenda Foskey-Cyrus and Alfreda Edwards — were staunch critics of the city’s pursuit of the grant without input from the community.
Bartlett said that the establishment of a governance committee for the grant that includes not only the alders but members of the Newhallville Management Team and other neighbors has brought many critics around.
Foskey-Cyrus.
Alder Foskey-Cyrus commended Bartlett and Edwards for the work they’ve done in the last seven months to bring members of the community to the table and to use the money to address the problems that community members have said they care about including investment in youth and community organizations.
Alder Edwards: The community is coming together.
Edwards said members of the governance committee agreement don’t always agree, but more people are coming to the table since the establishment of the committee.
On Tuesday, alders got their first look at the city’s revised plan for the grant.
Bartlett said Newhallville will have its own YouthStat that will help identify at-risk students. The city has used its citywide YouthStat process — bringing teachers, social workers, cops, probation and parole workers into one room — to review individual students’ cases and come up with plans to help them avoid violence.
“We will continue to have YouthStat for the whole city,” Bartlett said. “But we want to take this best practice and drill it down to the neighborhood.”
Project Manager Edwards described plans to get youth involved with creating a “learning block” adjacent to the Farmington Canal. He spokoe also of installing security cameras to make the canal safer. The Hamden part of the trail has cameras that police have access to and use to help keep the trail safe. But that camera coverage drops off in New Haven, he said.
The project will provide funding to several organizations in Newhallville that will provide mentoring programs and other activities to keep youth engaged. Those organizations include: the Christian Community Commission Promise Land initiative ($5,000); the Greater New Haven Clergy Association ($5,000); NAFI Youth and Police Initiative ($10,000); Newhallville Neighborhood Corp. ($2,500); and The Perfect Blend Mentoring Program ($6,000).
The governance committee for the grant will also have $23,000 to give out in competitive mini grants to community projects aimed at addressing hot-spot crime areas and building community consensus.
Wingate: Programming is key.
Beaver Hills Alder Brian Wingate said the success of the grant for him will boil down to programming. He said there are a lot of historical pressures on the neighborhood that have resulted in it being left behind.
“Programs are most essential,” he said. “What we’re talking about is changing the culture.”
UGGGGGG PAUL!!!! You know better!!!! AND CEDAR HILL.... Newhallville, East Rock AND CEDAR HILL...just say'n
I am very excited about this!! Doing a happy dance. (not about the fact that you forgot Cedar Hill but the fact that he is our new district manager) :P
[Paul: So sorry! Added.]