Asbury Park, NJ – The STOP (Standing Together On Positive Change) Community Forum was held in efforts to take strides to stop the surge of violence plaguing the Asbury Park and bordering Neptune communities.
Residents and community leaders came out on a positive note to fight for change in the community.
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Standing Together On Positive Change Forum
The forum, sponsored by Midtown Urban Renaissance Corporation (MURC) and the Westside Citizens United, focused on the issue of gang violence, drugs, the lack of communication between the people in the communities of Asbury Park and Neptune, and also their respective police departments.
Community leaders
The Street Doctor, a community activist from Newark, NJ, and Minister Brother John Mohammed from Asbury Park, NJ, were the keynote speakers at the forum.
Each were able to communicate ways to take back a community that has been riddled with disparity and the lack of human remorse that is reflected through the violence carried out by the youth in the community.
Most residents at the Standing Together On Positive Change forum felt that the police do not care one bit about the community and they use their power to mistreat the people.
Diana Harris, the President of MURC, thanked all the community leaders for coming out to address the issue of gangs, drugs and police insensitivity to the community.
She stated that as parents “we need to know who your kids friends are. You should know where your kids are going. You need to know what your kids are doing and set a curfew for them and stop giving kids money especially if they are using it for drugs!”
“The key is stop being afraid of the kids. Stop taking the disrespect from them.”
Harris said as a teacher she demands respect from her kids and in the same token, she gives them the same respect that they deserve.
Policing
The mistreatment of citizens by both Neptune and Asbury police has reached a boiling to the point where people are sick and tired of their actions.
Residents voiced concerns about wanting the police to be held more accountable for their misconduct.
Minister John Muhammad
Minister John Muhammed said it best when he called out insensitive cops.
Brother John Muhammad
“They know who they are! And if nothing is done about these cops and their ill behavior, then they will be checked by community leaders like him,” said Muhammad.
He said the police need to treat kids with the same respect that they would want for themselves.
Minister Muhammad also talked about gangs, specifically the root of the Bloods and Crips and a DVD called the Bastard of the Park, which explains where the gangs originated from. It is believed that many of the gangs germinated from the Black Panther Party.
The documentary will be shown at the Mt. Carmel Church on the corner of Springwood and Drummond Avenue on Thursday July 28th starting at 6:00pm.
The Street Doctor
The Street Doctor, who has dealt with the gang and drug issue from Newark NJ, stated that there is a lack of connectedness between the police and its community.
He talked about how the gangs are more connected than the citizens of the community. He emphasized it must change and to stop being scared of your kids.
Tell the kids to pull up their pants because they are looking for guidance and for people that cares. You must be able to show compassion and love toward the child.
Question-Answer panel
After Minister John Muhammad and the Street Doctor spoke, a question-answer panel was held.
Attendees were able to write questions down on a white index card for the panel to answer.
Brother John Muhammad and the Street Doctor initially sat on the panel. After questions were being posed about policing, the Street Doctor invited Lt. Marshawn Love of the Asbury Park Police Department and Detective Delisa Brazile of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Isiah T. Jones from the Boys and Girls Club, and Chief Adams from the Neptune Police Department later joined the panel.
Questions from police misconduct, to how to handle the presence of gangs were asked.
The Street Doctor posed the questions to police officers in the audience on how they can change the negative perception of the police officers in the community.
Lt. of the Asbury Park police department, Marshawn Love, said that “you have to show the kids that you are human and that you do care”.
Monmouth County Prosecutor Detective Delisa Brazile, a long time resident of Asbury Park, stated that “you can’t walk by a child with out acknowledging them. It is just not right!”
The Mayor of Neptune, Kevin McMillan, was also there to show support. The mayor mentioned that the gangs are more connected than the citizens and the police of the community. He emphasized kids need to know that someone cares. He talked about how the gangs come to the city of Asbury Park to sell drugs then go back to the New York area.
Among many other community leaders and residents, The Reverend Dr. Byron P. Wess of the Second Baptist Church also spoke as well:
Until the churches encourage its members to go out and vote there will be a continuous lack of power by the people of community. The ministers are here but they can not do everything.
The citizens of the community have no power in Neptune and Asbury and no power on the school board or at the city council meeting. Until this changes there will continue to be problems to plague the community. “
At the end of the forum, community members were trying to come up with solutions to help resolve the problems inflicting their community.
Each attendee was asked to fill out a survey to better understand the needs of the community.
Like the famous quote says, “If you’re not part of the solution, you are part the problem”.
