If 9 lost lives in Charleston at The AME Church, or the horrendous murder of 4 marines, Navy sailor and injuries to a Police Officer in Chattanooga were not enough… Now, here at home in Roanoke we have the violent death of an innocent 2-year-old angel, Aryah Lipford.
People must be thinking, as I am, what is this world coming to? Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of this little girl. May God hold them in the palm of his hand, may they know of our condolences and may they soon find some consolation and peace.
I’ve had citizens contact me about some of the incidences of violence we have experienced in the last few weeks. While our overall crime rate is down compared to last year at this time, I understand that these high profile incidences cause concern in our community. I want to assure our citizens that the Roanoke Police Department and the rest of our city team are working pro-actively to address violent crime and stop the criminals who are responsible for them. Council Member Anita Price to engage the re-established Youth Services Citizen board in assisting us in reducing the violent crime by our youth.
Council Member Sherman Lea to continue his leadership of the Domestic Violence Task Force, since so many of these violent crimes are domestic related.
Two of our neighborhoods are working to implement our unique Drug Market Initiative. Chief Perkins and the Roanoke Police are now implementing body cams for our police officers.
We, Mayor, Council, City Manager, Police Chief – Lotsa others continue to have personal, meaningful and productive meetings and relationships with law abiding citizens in every neighborhood…every quadrant of our city. We are all in this together.
And if we need to do more, or do something different or better we are good listeners, we mean well, we intend to do the right thing, and we’ll do it!!! We are ALL in this together.
We hope and pray that Roanoke is doing everything we can, but we are open for more suggestions… always. We’ll do what it takes.
While our crime rate is down to a 46 year low, and violent crime is below 2013 levels, let me acknowledge the hard, cruel fact that most violent crimes this year have occurred in Northwest Roanoke.
Nearly 100% of the population in Northwest is law-abiding. They want good schools for their children, and safe neighborhood just as much as Roanokers who live in other parts of the city…and northwest ids deserving of that equality.
But, there is that criminal element that has caused the spike in violence on our safe streets these last 2 weeks. It may be caused by drinking or drugs, domestic violence, criminal mischief or just plan evil…the few have caused this violence.
The majority of our citizens, black and white, are responsible and law abiding…we’re the good guys. We must together take responsibility and take back our streets. God have mercy on a society in which a little 2-year-old Aryan is killed.
But it is our task to do the good work of our community to contain and curtail and bring to justice the few criminals who cause is all to be concerned. The City will stand with those of us in the law abiding majority… on every street in Roanoke.
My plea is for Roanokers to recognize the good work and the good relationships we have achieved to have these unprecedented low crime statistics. The statistics should give us peace of mind.
Yet, my plea is for everyone to also recognize that criminals live among us, and our duty as good citizens is to stand up to fear and evil every day, in every way.
I end my VWCC Government class each semester by reminding my students of the famous phrase of Edmund Burke: Evil Rules…When Good Men Do Nothing.
The good men and women of Roanoke will do something… everything necessary…to assure that our All America Community is one of peace and justice in every neighborhood.
