Hope for the City
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8/9/2008
Two years ago, a resident of Warren approached the city administration about applying for a Federal Weed & Seed Grant to assist with Community Policing, Crime, Crime Prevention, Intervention and Education. The current administration stated that Warren did not have enough crime to qualify for it because they tried back in 2005 and were denied. The grant is based on crime stats over a three year period. However, this resident did not accept the answer. After checking with the Atty General's office in Cleveland, Ohio, they discovered that Warren did apply, but with drew the application before it could be processed. Since then, this resident has approached Youngstown State Univ. to assist with writing a grant for Warren, just like the grant that exists in Youngstown, Ohio and Sharon, Pa. After looking at the stats, the City of Warren did qualify. At present, the process is underway to write and procure this Federal Weed & Seed Grant which will bring $1 million dollars in resources to high crime areas over a 5 year period. If this resident had not stayed on top of this grant procedure, our city officials would have continued to spread their political lies about Warren not having enough crime to qualify. In truth, the city officials did not want to be designated a Weed & Seed city like Youngstown; a city that they "mock" on a regular basis. All I know is their mayor is thinking outside of the political box and getting things accomplished. One good thing about the grant is that it will levy a variety of resources and assistance and help improve the overall condition of the city in the target areas. After talking with several of the new officers on the police force, a large percentage of the crimes in the city are committed by known offenders with close personal ties to city officials. Many officers have expressed a desire to see our current police chief removed. He has been a national embarassment to our city for years, as well as, some of our veteran officers and dispatchers. The police department needs a complete overhaul and then maybe we can actually start addressing the issue of crimes, drug houses and break ins in the city. There have been an increase in neighborhood block groups because the people of Warren are starting to realize they must "step up" in order to see things improve. We can't wait for the city. Also, the Weed & Seed grant is written to assist in the development of more block groups over a 5 year people. If you want to know what's going on in a neighborhood, ask the people who live there. They always know. I can say the crime in the City of Warren is being addressed, but not by the city officials who run the city and who are suppose to have the city's best interest in mind. Sounds like they only have their own interest in mind. So, please take that into consideration when you're analyzing the condition of Warren, Ohio. It can and it WILL improve. The people are rising up.
Bp | Warren, OH