By Vinny Mangiacopra
Democratic Mayoral Candidate
NORWALK, Conn. — The recent tragedy at Sandy Hook brought the national conversation back to gun violence. Yet, it is almost certain our dysfunctional Congress will not pass any common-sense gun legislation. That does not mean, however, that Norwalk’s fight for safety is lost.
We, the citizens of Norwalk, cannot afford to sit on our hands and hope Congress acts while more shots are fired on our streets ever year. Rather, we need a comprehensive approach to combatting crime in Norwalk, particularly violent and gun-related crimes. I propose a three-step approach that should get the safety ball rolling and build a foundation for great success.
The first step is to focus on community policing. In recent weeks, I was happy to learn Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik announced that his officers would be spending more time out of their patrol cars and instead walking the beat in an effort to build their relationship with the community. The randomness of their walks will also serve to keep potential perpetrators guessing and less confident in their ability to evade law enforcement. This approach has been implemented in cities across the country following its proven success in Sacramento, California where it was found to significantly reduce crime, especially in crime “hot spot” areas.
This transition to what is known as a “community-based approach” should be universally praised. The police’s visible presence in our community is exactly what we need to build trust and cooperation between the city’s residents and their protectors. If elected mayor, I plan to walk the beat alongside Norwalk’s police force as part of the effort. An increased presence can make an immediate impact, especially for our most distressed areas.
Second, we must address our growing gun problem. Unfortunately in Washington, common-sense initiatives lack the political will to match the public’s desire. Locally, Norwalk’s attempt at a gun buy back program following Sandy Hook also produced disappointing results.
Through the initiative and the generosity of a single donor, the police department received $5,026 and removed 18 guns from the street. It was the city’s first buyback effort and Mayor Moccia did nothing to help despite his ability to raise well over $50,000 for his election every two years. There is no doubt we deserve better. In cities across the state, mayors were raising money for their programs and managed to remove hundreds of guns from their streets in the wake of the shooting.
As mayor, I will institute an annual gun buyback program that removes at least 100 guns from our streets in its first year. I am committed to this goal and will strive to make the program an annual success. I will bring in the community stakeholders, business partners, and faith based community; I will seek out the necessary funds; and I will use my pulpit as mayor to see the program to success.
While community policing and a genuine gun buy back program can make a major impact on our violent crime, we must also find solutions that give our youth and teens positive opportunities providing them an alternative to the streets – which brings us to our third step.
I’ve announced an initiative to bring a Boys and Girls Club to Norwalk. The private-public partnership could do wonders for our city. The Boys and Girls Club in Stamford fosters a great environment for the community by providing thousands of children a year with numerous activities including after school sports, leadership programs, and homework clubs. Clubs like this do more than just keep kids of the streets and out of danger, they teach life-enriching skills and create more productive citizens. With the unexpected closing of the YMCA this year, the need has intensified.
These steps are just a simple start to strengthening our community and making our streets safer. We cannot afford to wait any longer. We need change and leadership now. And on the safety of our citizens, there can be no room for half-hearted measures.
(Vinny Mangiacopra is the District D Democratic chairman as well as a Democratic candidate for mayor)
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