Pubdate: Wed, 9 Jan 2008 Source: Courier-Post (Cherry Hill, NJ) Copyright: 2008 Courier-Post Contact: http://www.courierpostonline.com/about/edletter.html Website: http://www.courierpostonline.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/826 Author: Alonso Heredia Note: The writer is a columnist for the Courier-Post. His column appears on Wednesdays. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) CRACKDOWN ON DRUGS REQUIRES COMMUNITY SUPPORT In the Dec. 27 Courier-Post online edition -- www.courierpostonline.com -- the article, "Camden hopes law drives drugs away," covered an agreement reached by the Camden Police Department, residents of Whitman Park and the Camden County Prosecutor's Office. This agreement's aim is to eradicate illegal drug sales and make the neighborhoods in the area more secure. It is not the first time the print and online media have published headlines of this nature that are, in all practical terms, nothing but press releases. I am not claiming journalists bear any responsibility for plans, projects and programs of others that do not become reality. Yet, collaboration among the police force, the prosecutor and residents should not make the news. Quite the contrary, collaboration between authorities and residents should be the norm because strategies to protect the city will succeed only if we work together. Now that everyone is committing to New Year's resolutions, the news about the Whitman Park plan is positive and timely. My deepest wish is for the Whitman Park plan to succeed and be replicated throughout the city. I also would like to reflect on the failed fight against crime in Camden; in particular, the fact that the war against drugs is being lost. Results Count Someone with authority should try to determine the reasons behind the failure. Is it that we are not sincere in our desire to end this crime in Camden? Or, perhaps, collaborative initiatives are easier to plan than they are to carry out. Ordinary citizens play a definitive role because they know there should be no middle ground when fighting criminals. People who do not collaborate with authorities as witnesses or to offer information to improve security in their neighborhoods are, in effect, against justice. Silence and indifference translate into valuable help for criminals. The reasons behind resident apathy range from fear of physical harm to self-interest and even mistrust of authorities. Nobody is willing to take chances to collaborate in the fight against crime without government support and protection. A telephone call could be the crucial link in avoiding or solving a crime, but it will not be made if the witness is neglectfully exposed by authorities to retaliation. Similarly, very few people would be willing to walk into a police station to offer help as informants, knowing they would be subjected to an insufferable and bureaucratic process that often borders on disrespect. For this reason, authorities bear responsibility for opening lines of communication with the community to obtain its help. Most importantly, people must see that their cooperation translates into positive and effective actions. The Courier-Post also included other details about the Whitman Park plan in the December article. One of the goals is to turn two-way streets into one-way streets in order to increase pedestrian safety. As far as this initiative's effect on drug deals, muggings, rapes and murders, I am at a loss. What is truly striking about this measure is that neighbors have been requesting these changes from the Camden Council for the past year, according to Steven Carmichael, president of United Neighbors of Whitman Park. I wonder if these activists have any zest left to collaborate with the government given that a simple measure took so long to be implemented by council members who do not seem very busy. Takes a Village The end of drug dealing will only come with committed involvement by authorities, including the police and the Camden prosecutor's office, as well as residents. Still, the nature of drug dealing must be kept in mind. This activity is, above all, a financial phenomenon embedded within society, just like any other industry. For most drug dealers, trafficking is their profession and they ignore other means of financial survival. They have families, friends and accomplices within the community. Drug dealing in Camden is such a complex and violent trend that even the most honorable families cannot avoid being touched by the transactions in their neighborhoods. Illegal drugs have been implanted in the threads of Camden's society, from which they cannot be easily eradicated.To thrive, the activity requires illegal drug providers as well as consumers, and its dirty money moves around freely while solving the financial problems of more than a few. In the meantime, the drug lords who end up in jail are eventually released and continue their business. What is a judge to do with drug dealers after they have done their time? Besides the constitutional right to a fair trial, these dealers have enough money to mount a defense. How can a community turn down these vast amounts of money generated by drug dealing? The benefits to a few turn them into supporters of an illicit activity. Citywide Problem It is rumored there are more than 150 drug sale points in Camden, most operating in broad daylight. Let's imagine some of these places are eliminated. This would not be enough to end the activity, since dealers employ technology, such as e-mail and cell phones, to continue their transactions. The Whitman Park plan is plausible and it must succeed, but it is not sufficient if the entire city is not taken into account. Drug dealing must be analyzed from all angles, and strategies to fight it must be changed accordingly. I am not the one who is proclaiming this; it is the many years of failed attempts at controlling this crime that makes it clear there must be another way. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake