Boston Fact-Finding Trip On Gang Intervention
Minister of Youth, Families and Sports Glenn Blakeney provided an update today on a trip to Boston, Massachusetts earlier this month to have discussions with the Boston Police Department and several agencies that play a collaborative role in gang intervention.
“While in Boston, my Permanent Secretary and I took the opportunity to also meet with representatives of the Street Safe Boston organization (SSB) to gain first-hand knowledge of how that organization is set up, and its role in gang intervention in Boston,” said Minister Blakeney.
“As a result of our short visit to Boston, it is clear to me that a sustained, collaborative approach is required by multiple stakeholders to curb gang violence in Bermuda. Several of the stakeholders we met exchange information on gang-related activity on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.
“There was clear recognition of the need for and importance of preventative measures to bring about long-term positive outcomes for youth. Building long-term relationships with gang members is viewed as critical to getting them to change their lifestyles. It is equally clear that more impactful and effective community policing is an important ingredient in anti-gang prevention and intervention efforts.”
“One of the prevention initiatives that impressed us is the Ten Point Coalition, an ecumenical group that addresses issues affecting black youth, and which became a model for other initiatives elsewhere in the USA.
“I cannot stress enough the benefits of a fact-finding trip like our recent trip to Boston in terms of networking with a cross-section of agency representatives who are tackling gang problems in their community. This has yielded much useful information which will assist us in assessing our options for moving forward, including developing sustained initiatives that have prevention at their core.”
Minister Blakeney’s full statement follows below:
Good Afternoon and Welcome,
First, let me say that I am pleased to be here with His Excellency Governor George Fergusson to talk about how we as a community, must continue to work together to address the problem of gang-related violence.
I wish to share with the public that the Hon. Premier, Paula A. Cox, JP MP has recently appointed me as the Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force (IGTF) Ministerial Committee, whose other members include: Hon. Dame Jennifer M. Smith, DBE, JP, DHumL, MP – Minister of Education, Senator the Hon. Kim N. Wilson, JP – Attorney General and Minister of Justice, and Hon. Wayne N. M. Perinchief, JP, CPM, MP – Minister of National Security.
This shift is in recognition of the need to consolidate our efforts to reduce gang violence through an enhanced focus on prevention initiatives. I hasten to add that this in no way is meant to reduce or diminish the critical role that law enforcement plays in gang suppression, or the role that the Bermuda Police Service plays in engaging community support for gang intervention activities. Minister Perinchief may wish to make a few remarks in that regard.
As IGTF Chairperson, and at the invitation of His Excellency George Fergusson, Governor of Bermuda, my Permanent Secretary Wayne Carey and I visited Boston, Massachusetts on October 4-5 2012 to have discussions with the Boston Police Department and several agencies that play a collaborative role in gang intervention in that city (including agencies responsible for Violence Protection; Human Services; Health; Probation; Youth Services; and Intergovernmental Affairs).
We also had the opportunity to meet with representatives of several of the City’s Community Partners that work on gang intervention, including Boston Centers for Youth and Families; Youth Connect; US Attorney’s Office; and District Attorney’s Office.
While in Boston, my Permanent Secretary and I took the opportunity to also meet with representatives of the Street Safe Boston organization (SSB) to gain first-hand knowledge of how that organization is set up, and its role in gang intervention in Boston.
As a result of our short visit to Boston, it is clear to me that a sustained, collaborative approach is required by multiple stakeholders to curb gang violence in Bermuda. Several of the stakeholders we met exchange information on gang-related activity on a weekly and sometimes daily basis.
There was clear recognition of the need for and importance of preventative measures to bring about long-term positive outcomes for youth. Building long-term relationships with gang members is viewed as critical to getting them to change their lifestyles. It is equally clear that more impactful and effective community policing is an important ingredient in anti-gang prevention and intervention efforts.
One of the prevention initiatives that impressed us is the Ten Point Coalition, an ecumenical group that addresses issues affecting black youth, and which became a model for other initiatives elsewhere in the USA.
I wish to thank Governor Fergusson for kindly arranging for us to meet with Pastor Ray Hammond, the Co-Founder and former Chairman of the Ten Point Coalition. We intend to pursue further discussions with Pastor Hammond in the near future.
The IGTF Ministerial Committee continues to meet to discuss several new policy initiatives that take a prevention approach, and these will be made public as they are developed and implemented.
I cannot stress enough the benefits of a fact-finding trip like our recent trip to Boston in terms of networking with a cross-section of agency representatives who are tackling gang problems in their community. This has yielded much useful information which will assist us in assessing our options for moving forward, including developing sustained initiatives that have prevention at their core.
Thank you.
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I am really sick of these LAST MINUTE reaction of this GOVERNMENT and PLEASE STOP WASTING the TAXPAYERS MONIES!
Ass.
All he had to do was drive by Parkside and 42nd.
P#$%ies the lot.
All he had to do is ask his son!
I was thinking…we should have elections every two years, Amazing how many politicians start to do their jobs when their paychecks are at risk! If we had elections every two years imagine how much more efficient this group would become, how much less arrogant they be, and how much easier WE could vote out those that are along for the ride – or in the “game” for the wrong reasons.
Fact Finding Mission. What a joke.
Right you are!
Gang intervention oh man GOD!
Hard time is a good start and then take away their tv and radio. 14 years means 14 years, not letting a fool out in 8 years because they was a good boy. What are we running a community summer camp prison. In real prison no wants to go back. Only in Bermuda we guys saying yes it’s nice up there thank god I’m not lock up in Pelican Bay state Prison looking like some little girl about to be rape by a guy 269lbs called Bubba.
Most of these little punks will come back wearing lipstick and heels. My college room mates a PCO their. He ask me how could he come here and work in the hotel we have in Dockyard.
Ya funny how you can get in for being bad, be a pain in the arse while you are incarcerated right up until the last and straighten up a few months before your parole hearing and the report says “he has shown signs of improvement and is trying to better himself” and out you go!
The task force needs to use force to destroy gangs. Long term relationships? Looks like the people would be foolish o expect any real solutions here. I say and I say again, the GUMMINT role is to enforce the law. The people’s role is to produce law abiding citizens. When the govt tries to create social change…disaster results including wasted millions.
Stick with enforcing the law.
Yeah, the gang problem in Boston has been really controlled. I wonder if that same organization brought the Bermuda delegation to Dorchester or Mattapan (pronounced Murder-pan) or even Roxbury. There,they would have seen how truly successful the unit has been to Boston. NOT!
I agree pretty hard neighborhoods those…I suppose they just wandered around Faneuil Hall for the majority of time trying to score some Pats tix…
Are you kidding, 300 gun incidents later they look for guidance, idiots! Complete idiots, from the top down to the non local PC they need to be shaken up and thought how to police properlyid like to know where all this money for all these trips is coming from I’m TIRED of paying higher and higher taxes for poor service across the board it really is time for CHANGE
“in real prison”.
Irony.
to the powers that be…IF YOU WANT GANG INTERVENTION EDUCATION….THEN GO TO JAMAICA!!! NOT BOSTON MASS!!!….
ALL THIS POLITICAL BULL$HIT HAS GOT TO STOP!…THEY KNOW WHATS GONNA HAPPEN TO THIS ISLAND SO THEY WILL BLEED BDA. TO DEATH…AND THEN RUN.
SOME OF US… ARE AWAKE!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3rspxPPEZg&feature=related
and this information didnt cost a penny.
How many more visits to other overseas are required, and how many experts have been hired by the Government before they DO something other than hold press conferences?
Hey when they go to Boston it is only two hours away by plane, they go and watch the Celtics, Patriots, Rd Sox not the Revolution so much as they suck big time but there’s more to do in Boston than Jamaica.
they are really not going to work as much as to do some shopping and catch the sights on OUR dime.
oops-overseas *jurisdictions*
What could they possibly learn from Boston???the comments above are spot on…further why are politicians involved in police business I thought all they did was contribute funds? isn’t that the governors job? we get more and more dense coming up to the next election? So will the Minister now meet with the Commissioner to tell him his job!!!!
Ah Yes! Boston has got this gang thing all figured
http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1061153793&srvc=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bostonherald%2Fnews%2Fregional+%28Local+%2F+Regional+-+News+%26+Opinion+-+BostonHerald.com%29
How many times do they have to go off on a junket or bring an advisor in only to ignore the information recieved.
To solve this issue Gov needs to hire a “Soldier of Fortune” firm, even go into more debt to do this, it is worth to have a safe Bermuda.
With their no nonsense and take no crap approach along with their experience from some of the worlds hell holes,they can clean up these wana’bes in no time.
They would be far more effective then anything we have on island as they have no allegiance to friends and family.