Originally posted by Inspectah Deck
Dominicans Don't Play
oh, nah. I never even heard of them, I chilled with mostly Cape Verdians.
Since my old block came up i just found this online about Ridgewood st., check it out...
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All Contents © Copyright 2005, Boston Neighborhood News, Inc.
Two Dot Crime Watches Held Up among City's Finest
August 4, 2005
By Brian Denitzio and Jim O'Sullivan
Reporter Staff
Two neighborhood crime watch groups in Dorchester were honored this week at a National Night Out Celebration attended by Police Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole and Mayor Thomas M. Menino. The Ridgewood Street Crime Watch and the Groom-Humphrey Neighborhood Association Crime Watch were recognized as among the city's ten best neighborhood crime watches.
The Rev. Howard McLendon, a member of the Ridgewood Street group, moved to Dorchester in 2003, leaving behind life in the suburbs when he purchased a three-decker on the Fields Corner side of Meetinghouse Hill. McLendon, a former resident minister in a dormitory on the Boston College campus, said he chose Dorchester because it was affordable, but soon after moving he had doubts about his new neighborhood.
The street was notorious for criminal activity, plagued by drugs and gunplay, and in the months surrounding McLendon's purchase, Ridgewood St. was the site of three homicides.
"I was not aware of the street's history," said McClendon from his living room this week. "If I had been, I probably wouldn't have purchased on this street."
But his name was on the dotted line so McLendon decided to get involved, to try to turn the tide on Ridgewood St.
He saw a flier for a neighborhood watch in 2004, a movement spearheaded by neighbor Maria Andrade, and began attending meetings. The group met each month to discuss ways to help improve the quality of life on the street.
At first, McLendon said, he was surprised to hear the stories some neighbors told of their experiences that affected all elements of life on the street.
"People didn't feel safe, they felt threatened, people couldn't find good tenants," said McLendon.
With help from Area C-11 police and organizations such as the Bowdoin Street Health Center, the group set out to create a close-knit, community feel on the street. The group hoped to stem efforts by the few people engaged in illicit or anti-social activities to keep all residents living in fear.
"When you create community and you know who the people are then there are these relationships that are vested and that empowers you," said McLendon, who has seen a marked improvement in the quality of life on the street since the group formed in September 2004.
"The street is 95 percent better," said Eric Johnson, a community organizer with the Bowdoin Street Health Center, who aided the efforts of the crime watch.
The group's major event was a block party last month. Members of the group went up and down the street encouraging residents to come out. While attendance wasn't perfect, McLendon said that the event went a long way to dispel fear.
Dorchester's second winner, the Groom-Humphrey Neighborhood Association Crime Watch, notched a rare second victory. The Uphams Corner group drew 400 people to its peace march this year, holds monthly meetings at the Maxwell Flea Market building, and throws block parties and Christmas parties, all aimed at stemming conflict in one of the city's most violent areas.
Seated around a card table on Nonquit Street Tuesday night for National Night Out, group stalwarts Isaura Mendes and Hal Cohen said the group's success flows from its cooperation.
"We watch after each other," said Mendes, whose son Bobby was stabbed to death in 1995, a slaying many authorities point to as the start of a decade of killings in the Cape Verdean community.
"We're about working together, and I think we do well," she said.
"I think it's that we have persistence, with significant turnouts" at the regular meetings, Cohen said. He said the effort has grown from a blunt anti-crime group to a quality-of-life initiative.
"At first we had to concentrate on the crime," Cohen, who owns the Maxwell building, said. "Now one of our big concerns is building a kiddie park" on Hillsboro Street.
Fernando Bossa, who co-founded the group with Cohen, said the twice-recognized group has stayed vigilant.
"We really are making the system work for us. We're definitely using the phone tree, definitely reporting everything we see that shouldn't be going on."
Frank Armstrong, captain of district C-11 in which both crime watches are located, said that the cooperation between police and neighborhood groups is key in helping officers police the community.
"We can't do it alone, we like the partnerships with the neighborhood groups," said Armstrong.
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It's says Ridge got better. thats good. Headz are finally getting their act together.