Hope And Opportunists

I have been impressed with acting police chief Charles Roca.  Yesterday he announced forming a Community Board to enhance rapport with the various neighborhoods.  The Morning Call, in covering the story, put loudly forward opportunist Hasshan Batts of Promise Neighborhood. They quoted Batts "..The police have the information and data and they can share with the community..." While Batts thinks that the police department should provide him with data to justify his ever increasing empire, Roca's intent was that the community will come forward with information to help investigate crimes. Batts called on the city to invest in programs. “It is the community’s role to nurture and support the village,” What Batts means is that the city should invest more in his organization. The Morning Call has the same old stale stable of people they quote for various topics...Unfortunately Batts is now their community crime go to person.

Roca is an experienced police officer who has been on the force more than nineteen years. While he knows that information about violence and shootings seldom come from affected neighborhoods,  the outreach nevertheless is a very positive gesture. Community activists, such as Wanda Genao de Salas, were hopeful about Chief Roca's visit to Stevens Park. The above photo is a screen grab from her facebook page.