Syracuse, NY – About 60 North Side residents packed the North Area Athletic and Education Center on Pond Street to express their concerns about crime and violence to Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler. “I’ve lived here for 45 years and somewhere along the line Syracuse stopped enforcing the laws,” said Kurt Schmeling of Carbon Street. “If we don’t enforce the...
Syracuse, NY – About 60 North Side residents packed the North Area Athletic and Education Center on Pond Street to express their concerns about crime and violence to Syracuse Police Chief Frank Fowler.
“I’ve lived here for 45 years and somewhere along the line Syracuse stopped enforcing the laws,” said Kurt Schmeling of Carbon Street. “If we don’t enforce the laws that tells the people what kind of city we are.”
Schmeling, who addressed concerns about damage to his property, drug activity in his neighborhood and run down buildings, said strict enforcement of the laws sends a message to the community that illegal behavior will not be tolerated on the North Side.
Fowler stressed the importance of communication and collaboration between the community and the police department.
“This situation wasn’t caused overnight and the solution to it will not happen overnight, but we need to work together until the problems are addressed,” Fowler said.
Lt. Richard Shoff said there has been progress made on the North Side. He said there has been 1,709 arrests made and almost 3,000 charges filed since January on the North Side. The charges are from everything to seat belt tickets to rape charges, Shoff said.
Several members of North Side neighborhood watch groups attended the meeting, which was organized by Ray Rinaldi. Rinaldi, founder and director of the athletic club, works with thousands of youths at his gym. He called the meeting for North Side residents to share their concerns and hopefully come up with some solutions.
“My solution is to get these kids off the streets and into a healthy environment,” Rinaldi said. “It’s about prevention.”