The meeting began with elections and a presentation by all candidates for the Board of PPNA.
The results of the election:
President - Ernest Le
Treasurer - Vacant, but Casey Sonneborn was nominated and will find out more about the position
Secretary - Elena Huang
VP Patterson Place - Lindsey Johnson-Graham
VP West - Lindsey Thompson (it is not clear if she wishes to stay for another term and the Board will clarify)
VP North - Vacant although Colin Murphy received a write-in vote
VP East - Cheryl Bryant
VP South - Kelli Poole
Guest Speaker: Major Alberto L Colon
From BPD, respresenting the South East District Promoted to Major three months ago. He was assigned to South East. He has been in police work for 28 years now. He started in 1996 in Puerto Rico; in 1996 Baltimore recruited from Puerto Rico so he moved here. A few recent assignments: he was Captain in central district, captain in homicide unit, worked as a lieutenant, and was a sergeant in mayoral protection. He is pleased to see how well organized this community is and wishes everyone luck. He wants to meet all NCO (neighborhood coordinating officers). They are working to recruit another officer to the team and they have almost concluded their search
Hands to Captain Albert Del Roco
Excited to work with the community and gather resources to solve problems.
Question to the officers:
Do you live in the city? No
Comments that Major has a very good reputation and appreciates community police involvement.
Major states that community police involvement is vital and wants to see more of it.
A neighbor asks a question. He has moved from South Carolina from a suburban to urban area. He has had to call 911 for several events. He mentions that while everyone is talking about safety walks and police involvement he would like to see more of it. He feels that there should be more officers in the area, especially in the park, and would like to see more involvement with PPNA safety committees.
Officers state that they are working to more community involvement and 40% of their day is supposed to be allotted to officers getting out of their car and saying hello. There are training programs that are deepening community involvement. The challenging part will remain staffing in regards to walks but aspects to the shifts will play a factor in regards to with whom people interact with. He does ask that when the safety walks are coordinated to request police presence and Del Roco will be giving his contact information to Ernest
A neighbor asks: I appreciate the officers and my question is not an attack, but since you do not live in the community but want to focus on community policing; how are you focusing on community policing when you don't live in the community?
Answer: We have a team; a district of police officers that are the ones that interact with one another. I am here 12/14/16 hours a day; this is meeting number 12 since being assigned to the district. Though he may not put his head on a pillow within city limits, if the phone rings, he comes to the city and all throughout his shift he is in the city. He understands where the inquiry comes from, but the fact that he resides outside does not impede his ability to stay here. A neighbor asks: Wanted to ask about the challenge of 40% of on foot time; she asks clarification on whether that 40% is a call to action or whether there are metrics that measure whether that is happening. What is the system to know whether that's happening so that can be addressed top down and why?
Asnwer: It is measured. An officer would be called out on foot patrol and generally it is a citizens call that is what interrupts that 40% If 40% is your goal, what is considered realistic, and where are you now? In examining the calls for today we have to account for the call volume. One day it may be 10 % because the majority of the time was spent by officers addressing calls. Gaps are magnified by whether we are short staffed. We monitor to make sure opportunities were utilized, and if not, we bring items to our supervisors. Del Roco offers to bring in real numbers to next meeting; they are captured and measured they just do not have the numbers offhand. A neighbor asks: in his social work clients are having difficulty in getting positive responses regarding domestic violence reports and temporary restraining orders and asks what the officers would like to say to people to rebuild trust. Officer states that if there are individual and specific circumstances within the southeast sector to please contact a supervisor and to speak with him following the meeting
Ethan Hasiuk from Zeke Cohen's Office About Independent Redistricting Commission
Ethan notes that the most recent redistricting process was a mess and Councilman Cohen wants to fix that with a new proposal to create an independent redistricting commission. People would apply to be on the commission and one person from each district would be chosen at random. This ensures that the members of the commission are not influenced by politicians. The commission would then draw district boundary lines and although the City Council and the Mayor can express their dissatisfaction with the resulting map, they cannot prevent it from being put into effect. This will reduce the risk of gerrymandering and political influence in the district drawing process. You can read the Baltimore Banner's summary of the legislation in this article. PPNA has received copies of the text of the legislation and will send it out to neighbors.
Final Announcement: Community Dumpsters!
February 24: Library Square
May 4: Pratt and Curley (South Sector)
July 13: 100 Block of Potomac (East Sector)
September 7: Fairmount and Montford (Patterson Place)