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From tragedy, unity: Fishtown death inspires pan-River Wards Crime Watch
Last year, the killing of Fishtown resident Shane Kelly galvanized hundreds of neighbors to show up for a candlelight vigil. A new community effort is designed to turn that outrage into a protective force for the community.
From tragedy, unity: Fishtown death inspires pan-River Wards Crime Watch
Last year, the killing of Fishtown resident Shane Kelly galvanized hundreds of neighbors to show up for a candlelight vigil. A new community effort, River Wards Crime Watch is designed to turn that outrage into a protective force for the community.
"Just seeing how many people showed up out of respect for somebody they didn't even know, it felt to me like a galvanizing moment," says Neil Brecher, a Fishtown resident and the organization's president. "Everybody was fed up. Everybody had had enough. People came from Olde Richmond and Kensington; people came from a pretty good distance to kind of support this. Everyone seemed to know that something had to be done."
So, Brecher and some other neighborhood leaders began talking about a town watch, one that would extend throughout the 26th Police District's PSA 3, and bring in all of its civic associations and community groups: East Kensington Neighbors Assocation, Olde Richmond Neighbors Association, Fishtown Neighbors Association, Fishtown Action (FACT), the Ancient Order of Hibernians, New Kensington Community Development Corp. and Fishtown Area Business Owners Assocation. "Listening to the statistics, and seeing that our PSA was the largest out of all three in the district, and hearing Capt. [Michael] Cram's call for the neighborhoods to participate, it just seemed to make sense," Brecher says.
"This is the first time you've got every civic under one roof. This is complete unity from one end of the area to another," he adds.
They're thinking big -- and small: phone trees among crossing guards, organized block captains and coalitions of vigilant dog-walkers to create an early sense of "eyes on the street." Brecher hopes a formal town watch will be in place within two years. In the meantime, he hopes to generate interest with occasional unannounced "nights out," where neighbors will gather at a given intersection in a show of solidarity or unity. "It's kind of vulnerable to be out there fihgting crime. But knowing that there are hundreds of other people in the neighborhood who care amakes it easier to feel supported in that mission.... It also sends a message to criminals that they're being watched, that, 'You're not gonig to be allowed to prey on this community anymore.'"
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