Focus On Youth In Cops’ Hill North ​“Walk”

Tavaris McDonald pulled over to question Assistant Chief Otoniel Reyes and Daniel Hunt why they were walking in his neighborhood and why a photograph had seemingly been snapped of his car.

Reyes explained that Hunt and nearly a dozen local officials –– including aldermen and city administrator –– met at the police substation on Hallock Street to embark on a ​“Hill North Community Walk,” in order to increase community accessibility to New Haven representatives, officers and leaders.

McDonald dissolved his guard, explaining that he had just recently relocated from Florida to New Haven with his family. Reyes shook his hand and welcomed him to the neighborhood.

“People like to know that the police department cares,” said Reyes.

Daniel Hunt, a New Havener who works in student support services, has organized these walks over the past year to connect the community with the cops.

In 2011, Hunt’s 13-year-old cousin, Marquell Banks, was shot to head in the 26th homicide of that year. The passing of his relative inspired Hunt to activate outreach efforts through the police department.

On Thursday, Hunt spoke casually with young people, handing McDonald’s coupons to boys like Jimbo Sich, a Hill resident and rising sixth-grader at Katherine Brennan School.

It ​“felt very good seeing people helping my community,” Sich said,

Hunt reached out to city officials like Community Service Administrator Dakibu Muley to participate. While the walks have hit nearly all of the 10 districts of New Haven, Thursday’s Hill march marked Muley ​‘s first participation in the monthly event. He met an elderly Hispanic man with whom the city official utilized his bilingual abilities to discuss the Elm City’s services for the aging demographic. Muley even gave him his phone number and told him to reach out to him.

“A lot of these people don’t know where to go,” said Muley.

Such an incident derives from the desire to serve proactively –– a sentiment enacted in Muley as well as Hill Alder Ron Hurt of Ward 3 which contains the neighborhoods encircled in Thursday’s action. For Hurt, the activity offered a chance to reconnect with his constituents whom he represents and views as familiar faces from his community.

He handed Umarr Lahun of Career High School a McDonald’s coupon, passing by on his bicycle, while on the final stretch of his trip back to the police station.

“They’re not alone anymore,” said Hurt.

The event specifically targeted young people, but the walkers forged connections with adults on the streets as well. A ​“friendly reminder” –– reading ​“Please take valuables and bags out of cars and lock the doors” –– struck a chord with Tyrone Arrington: His car had been stolen the week prior.

The father of two young daughters spoke positively of the walk as well as the presences of Reyes and top neighborhood cop Lt. Jason Minardi.

“I liked that. It’s different,” said Arrington.