Street Outreachers, Ex-Top Cops Back DuBois-Walton Anti-Violence Platform

Two retired top cops and two grassroots violence intervention leaders spoke in Newhallville Wednesday night in support of mayoral candidate Karen DuBois-Walton and her proposed plans for addressing the city’s increased violence

DuBois-Walton hosted the campaign event at Lincoln-Bassett Community School to talk about her community safety plan and to hear from those who helped to influence it. Speakers in support included two retired top New Haven cops, Lt. Rebecca Goddard and Asst. Police Chief Douglas MacDonald, and two community leaders who work with young people on the street, Leonard Jahad of the CT Violence Intervention Program (CT VIP) and Ice The Beef​‘s Chaz Carmon. About 15 community members gathered in support of DuBois-Walton and help to canvass Newhallville’s Ward 20.

DuBois-Walton announced her community safety platform last week focused on how to get violence back under control through reviving community policing through partnerships with street outreach workers, law enforcement, and the community. Her 21-point public-safety policy plan pushes for a more proactive community services to curb crime and violence. DuBois-Walton is challenging first-term incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker for the Democratic mayoral nomination.

Goddard is currently a principal at Assumption School in Ansonia. She served on the New Haven Police Department (NHPD) for 20 years. She served as a district manager in Newhallville. ​“The police department cannot solve all the problems. It takes a village,” she said at Wednesday’s rally. ​“It’s not just a walking beat. It’s a true partnership. You have to be invested in the community.”

MacDonald, who retired in 2003 after helping to launch the city’s community policing programs, said the city needs to reinvest in once again engaging the ​“community’s skills of observation.” MacDonald said police collaborations with Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Longevity got homicides down to single digits. He said he supports DuBois-Walton because he believes she can take the first step to stopping the rapidly increasing homicide numbers. Her plan will revisit past tactics that worked, he said. ​“My recollection is that hopefully better days are coming because we’ve already had better days in this city,” he said.

Ice the Beef President Chaz Carmon recalled a shooting that happened last week in the Hill during a drill practice of 30 kids in a park. He expressed support for DuBois-Walton and her dedication to investing in youth to engage and push them in a direction other than crime and violence. ​“We have to start to not police our neighborhoods but to love the people in our neighborhoods,” he said. 

CT VIP Executive Director Leonard Jahad said DuBois-Walton’s plan aligns with the ​“5 Cs” he follows with his prevention work: care, commitment, conviction, courage, consistence. He added that the city needs leadership that will invest in changing the culture around gun violence and to teaching youth that they don’t need to grab guns to solve beefs. ​“People are not going to put their guns down if they feel vulnerable in their community,” he said.

Newhallville leaders Shirley Lawrence and Kim Harris and the Rev. Steven Cousin also joined the rally in support DuBois-Walton. The city needs leadership that will provide more mental health resources for untreated trauma within the community, said Lawrence.

Before the rain cut DuBois-Walton’ plans short, she knocked on doors on Elizabeth Street.

Barbara Preston, 78, and a friend from across the street Peggy, 72, talked with DuBois-Walton on Preston’s front porch about the need for more resources for seniors citizens. The two said they have friends who are struggling to pay their bills and get food assistance. Preston said her application for food stamps was recently denied. ​“Nobody don’t never think about the elderly people,” Preston said. ​“I hope you be the mayor.”

DuBois-Walton promised to prioritize senior citizens in addition to her focus on youth education and community safety. The pair promised to vote for her.

On another stoop, Michael Jones urged DuBois-Walton to include the re-entry population in her campaign leadership and future plans for youth and community safety. DuBois-Walton extended an invitation to Jones to join her on her campaign trail to help organize mentorship programming for youth in the future.

Click here for a previous story detailing Elicker’s position on addressing the increase in violence.