Gang Awareness Public Meeting On Dec 4th

November 26, 2013

The Ministry of Public Safety advised today that the Junior Minister of Public Safety Senator Jeff Baron — who serves as Chairperson for the Inter-Agency Gang Task Force — will join members of Bermuda’s faith community in hosting a gang awareness public meeting on December 4th.

The meeting will take place at the Anglican Cathedral Hall from 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m.

The initiative, entitled “Change By Us”, will encompass a roundtable discussion to generate a community response to gangs and violence.

Presenters for Monday’s meeting include Mirrors Programme Coordinator, Kim Jackson, Family Centre’s Martha Dismont and representatives from the Bermuda Police Service and the Department of Child and Family Services.

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Senator Baron, who will give opening remarks to Monday’s session, stressed that the event is about bringing people together to address common concerns regarding gangs and anti-social behaviour.

“It’s about engaging, empowering and energizing our community to take action. Over the past five years there has been an increase in the gang activity in Bermuda,”  said Senator Baron.

“The Change By Us session will provide the community with education and awareness of the reasons, reality and response to gangs in Bermuda – our ultimate goal here is reducing the influence gang lifestyles have on our youth and community.

“Both Kim Jackson and Martha Dismont have worked tirelessly to make this happen – to use their community reach and influence to craft a forward-leaning initiative that will ultimately tease out valuable concerns and suggestions from our community.

“This is our first planned meeting with more scheduled in the New Year. Essentially, we want the outcome of these meetings to empower a unified community-wide response to gangs in Bermuda.

“In fact, the intent is to activate a series of core community groups to continue the dialogue at the neighborhood level for a grass roots community action to respond to gangs.”

For more information, please contact Kim Jackson at 294-9291.

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Comments (3)

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  1. Paradox says:

    I Hope DeSilva and his cops attend, they appear to be unaware we have a gang problem

  2. Will says:

    I’m pretty sure the people of Bermuda are well aware that we have gangs. Perhaps what is needed is Police tactics Awareness meeting. As it stands the majority of us have no clue how they(both government and police)plan on realistically tackling this situation.

  3. fedup Nana says:

    Senator Baron, so what is your end game? We have been down this road many times with the Bda community. Are you going to tell me that I can now take my grandchildren on walks, sit on an open space community bench in peace without the fear of being disrupted with disrespect? Are you going to tell me that my 12 year old grandson can go and play football in his back yard without being bullied by the undesirables that have nothing better to do but disrupt?

    Senator Baron, I wish you all the best here in Bda. Your words will definitely fall on some deaf ears. Speaking from the hip; I have reported many issues to my community Police Dept. 2 years later they put into action –community police patrol. We do not want police car patrol we need boots-on-the-ground. It’s a shame. In the summer our houses are closed up and our kids are inside. Everyone in my neighborhood knows who the troublemakers are. E.g. they have the nerve to setup shop just feets away from our back doors-reported. Mornings we venture out to find bottles of liquor just trashed at our front and back yard-reported. I Fear that one day they will harm my grandchildren, only because I challenge them when they step into my space.

    After my police report I leave with the sense of no hope that anything will ever get done. Noting; that the persons that are taken my report is related to one of the culprits. Good luck Senator Baron with your quest, because some of your audience members will be the Mothers, Fathers, Uncles etc. of those who find enjoyment of making Bda residents’ very uncomfortable in their homes. They are allowed to leave their own homes feeling inferior and a sense of entitlement, with these words written on their baggy pants “not my son”

    I REPEAT.. WE NEED BOOTS ON THE GROUND.