Clinton Woods neighborhood unites residents, police in first community walk

Residents of the Clinton Woods neighborhood are fed up.

Over the course of the Clinton neighborhood’s first community walk led by District 5 police representatives Tuesday night, residents expressed their annoyance and anger with some of the continuing crime problem areas in the community, including drug use, break-ins, theft, vandalism and noise disturbances.

“The reason for the community walks is to get the police out into the community,” said Sgt. James Shomper of the District 5 Police Department. “It lets us know the citizens and the citizens get to know us.”

The walks, which will continue throughout several months in different District 5 communities, are supposed to start at 7 p.m. and last until 8 p.m., although Clinton Woods residents and police officers stayed in the area to talk for an additional hour. District 5, in south county, covers from Clinton and Brandywine to Eagle Harbor.

Community members are invited to walk through the neighborhood with a unit of police officers. On the walk, residents are encouraged to get to know the police force on a personal level and share their concerns in the neighborhood, pointing out areas that may need more police attention, such as a house that residents say is a crime hub.

Eight to 10 community walks were scheduled, including four more scheduled in August and September throughout District 5. The next walk is scheduled in Woodyard and Estonian Estates on Aug. 24.

About 40 area residents, including some who don’t live in Clinton Woods, met at the walk’s start point on Clinton Way, and even more residents joined as the walk progressed through the neighborhood.

Charles Fountain, a representative of the Clinton View Homeowners Association, attended to support the event’s message.

“We try to support each community,” he said. “We want to let people know that we stand against the crime.”

Others hope that the community walks will help build community awareness of the problems.

The one-on-one communication and personal interaction with the police are things that Raymond Butler, vice president of the Oak Orchard Community Association, and Carolyn Lowe of the District 5 Coffee Club, a community involvement and public safety organization, agree are some of the best elements of the community walks.

The community walk program has been held in District 5 since at least 2006, according to Maj. David Morris, commander of District 5. He said this is the first walk to have taken place in the Clinton Woods community.

“We’re here to show the community that we’re united,” Morris said. “It’s not just the police department and not just the citizens. It’s us together.”

Phyllis Boone, a Clinton Woods resident for 17 years, said that the neighborhood has changed a lot throughout her time here. Boone said she has to call the police at least once a week for disturbances in the neighborhood.

“We have a really nice community,” Boone said. “We’re not going to accept it.”

Morris said Clinton Woods is a good neighborhood but has a small group of residents who commit crimes.

“This is my district, my backyard,” he said. “I’m not going to let that happen in my backyard.”

 

Originally published at The Gazette.