Pubdate: Mon, 31 Oct 2005
Source: Winston-Salem Journal (NC)
Copyright: 2005 Piedmont Publishing Co. Inc.
Contact:  http://www.journalnow.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/504
Note: The Journal does not publish letters from writers outside its 
daily home delivery circulation area.

CRACKING DOWN

Busting drug dealers and serving ice cream to children might seem a 
weird mix, but both are part of an increased police presence that's 
been a winning combination in reducing crime in the Cleveland Avenue 
Homes area of Winston-Salem. As police now try to replicate their 
success in other areas of the city, they must be careful to make sure 
the Cleveland Avenue Homes area continues to improve.

The program, tagged the New Hope Initiative, is not easy, nor is it 
perfect. It uses a controversial concept. The program, modeled on one 
in High Point, offers drug dealers with relatively minor records a 
second chance - if they quit dealing.

Of 12 dealers in the Cleveland Avenue area who were in March offered 
the chance to stop selling drugs, five have since been arrested on 
drug charges, the Journal's Patrick Wilson recently reported. Mattie 
Young, a neighborhood leader, said, "We've still got some stragglers 
hanging around, but the police are visible and they're aware of it." 
Overall, she said, "the drug situation in Cleveland has gone down 
tremendously."

That's good news for Young and all the other honest residents of 
Cleveland Homes, as well as the rest of the city's residents. A small 
part of drug dealing, and, in all likelihood, its related crime, has 
been stopped. And that saves taxpayers the cost of paying the room 
and board of drug dealers who are caught and jailed.

Although five of the dealers have been arrested since the crackdown, 
the other seven dealers have apparently stopped, at least 
temporarily. Other dealers from the area, ones with more extensive 
records, have been charged and, in a few cases, already convicted and 
sentenced to prison.

Two teenagers were recently shot in the area. But for the most part, 
crime is down and citations and arrests are up.

Much of the success of the program is due to cooperation. Officials 
with the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem, the Winston-Salem Urban 
League and other agencies helped police spread the word about the 
program. Police worked with churches and other groups to try to 
provide help to the drug dealers who stopped.

Now, Police Chief Pat Norris says her officers want to make similar 
efforts in other neighborhoods. Two areas among several being 
considered are Old Greensboro Road and the area of Green and Watkins 
streets off Broad Street near downtown.

Police say they're still following up on the Cleveland Avenue area. 
That's good.

Much has been accomplished. As they start the New Hope Initiative in 
other areas, police should continue to help the Cleveland Avenue 
citizens clean up their neighborhood.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman