After violent weekend in city, district attorney seeks help from community at Nicetown public forum
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<p>Emanuel Kelly, principal of Kelly/Maiello Architects & Planners (left), and Laurie Olin, principal of Olin Studio (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>David DeLong (center), Professor Emeritus of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania with Stephen Kieran, founding partner of KieranTimberlake. Also pictured, Lori Salganicoff, (far left background), former Historic Preservation Director for the Lower Merion Conservancy (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>President of Urban Engineers, Edward D'Alba, and his wife, Karen D'Alba. (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Tom Elkinton (left), Rob Harting, co-chair of the Wyck Board of Directors, and Emilie Harting. (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>President and CEO of Valley Green Bank, Jay Goldstein. (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Ingrid Bogel, executive director of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifact and Wyck honorary director with Ellie Elkinton, former admissions director of Germantown Friends School; (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Event Chair Nancy Goldenberg (left), senior vice president for Programs and Planning for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society with Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Alan Greenberger, the evening's honoree (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Danielle DiLeo Kim (right), Director of Special Projects for the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and recipient of the Philadelphia American Institute of Architects' 2012 Young Architect Award, with Patrick Kim (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>2012 Wyck-Strickland Award recipient Alan Greenberger, Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development and Director of Commerce, and chair of the City Planning Commission (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Daniel Kelley, partner of MGA Partners Architects and former colleague of Alan Greenberger. (Photo courtesy of Dave Tavanni)</p>
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<p>Gala host Maria Menounos (center) of NBC's "Extra," with Girl Scouts, Rhiannon Tomitshen and Madison Vorva, winners of the Philadelphia Zoo's Emerging Conservation Leadership Award (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Philadelphia Zoo board chair, Jay H. Calvert, Jr. and gala host Maria Menounos of NBC's "Extra" (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Matt Hamilton (left), recipient of the Conservation Impact Award on behalf of the Hamilton family, gala host Maria Menounos, gala cochairs Gretchen Burke, a Zoo board member, and her husband Stephen Burke, CEO of NBCUniversal (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Philadelphia Zoo president and CEO Vikram H. Dewan (center) with his wife Jamie Dewan and Maria Papadakis (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>CBS Broadcasting Vice President, Marc Rayfield (left), Nicole Rayfield, and Zoo board member, H. Augustus Carey. (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Sarah Gilhorn, Geo-Marketing manager at PricewaterhouseCoopers (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Cindy Messerle of Main Line Animal Rescue and her husband, Kevin Messerle (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Carole Haas Gravagno (left) and Caroline Rogers (right) with Girl Scouts, Rhiannon Tomitshen and Madison Vorva, recipients of the Emerging Conservation Leader Award (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Zoo CREW member Carlos Garcia (center), recipient of the Global Conservation Award on behalf of the Zoo CREW program, with Maria Papadakis and Matt Hamilton, Zoo board member and recipient of the Conservation Impact Award on behalf of the Hamilton family (Photo courtesy of HughE Dillon)</p>
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<p>Residents look on as District Attorney Seth Williams speaks on various topics related to crime and violence in Philadelphia. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>District Attorney Seth Williams speaking to those who attended a town hall hosted by his office in Northwest Philadelphia on Tuesday. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Joseph Lukaitis, a 39th District officer who works in the Crime Prevention Unit, gives residents some tips on dealing with theft and burglary in the neighborhood. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Ms. Brown is consoled by a woman and Vernon V. Price, of Community Relations within the D.A's Office, while telling her story of intimidation and harassment by a neighbor and failed attempts at pressing charges against the man. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Williams and Nash look on as a resident expresses concerns about crime in Northwest Philadelphia. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Deborah Nash addressing those who attended the rescheduled town hall meeting at Triumph Baptist. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Deborah Nash informs residents about various resources within the DA's office. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Residents look on as District Attorney Seth Williams speaks on various topics related to crime and violence in Philadelphia. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Deborah Nash and Steven Connolly of the DA's office introduce themselves to those in attendance at Tuesday night's town hall meeting. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
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<p>Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams addresses the crowd during a town hall meeting at Triumph Baptist Church on Hunting Park Avenue in Northwest Philadelphia on Tuesday. (Brad Larrison/for NewsWorks)</p>
Two days after a weekend in which gun violence claimed six lives, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams stopped by a Nicetown church to speak to residents about the city’s biggest and most persistent crime problem.
Though Tuesday night’s “Northwest Town Hall” meeting wasn’t scheduled in response to the cluster of murders — it had been postponed in late November — Williams’ decision to focus on gun violence likely didn’t surprise anyone seated inside Triumph Baptist Church.
As of the start of the meeting, there were 311 murders in the city in 2012. One, on Sunday, occurred about a block away from Triumph’s Hunting Park Avenue doors.
“There are far too many street corners that are littered with teddy bears and candles,” said Williams.
Focus on crime-prevention efforts
Much of the evening centered on the DA office’s efforts aimed at crime prevention and reducing recidivism, or repeat offenses. Williams said that is part of changing the “paradigm of what it means to be an American prosecutor.”
“For years, whatever question was posted to a prosecutor, the answer was more jail time, more prisons, more people under the prisons,” said Williams. “But the reality is, what’s more important is for us to prevent crime.”
To be sure, the equation involves cracking down on individuals and areas prone to crime.
In addressing gun violence, Williams pointed to efforts like the city’s GunStat program which — launched in February — identifies violent and repeat offenders in particularly problematic areas with the goal of stopping them before gunfire erupts again.
If one of those individuals is arrested, the DA’s office works to prosecute them off the streets.
The program currently operates in small swaths of North Philadelphia and Kensington.
Illegal gun possession a concern
Williams said he is also focusing on individuals caught carrying a gun illegally.
Since late January, prosecutors have sought higher bail amounts (between $25,000 and $50,000) in cases where that charge is the most severe a defendant is facing.
Defendants must post 10 percent of that amount to stay out of jail as their case progresses. As a result of the initiative, 73 percent of relevant individuals have stayed in jail, said Williams.
He also wants to have offenders serve heftier sentences in those cases.
“We know people are going to be selling drugs and doing some stupid stuff. We’re going to deal with that,” he said. “I just don’t want you shooting people because when you’re shooting people a whole lot of innocent folks are getting shot too.”
Seeking public buy-in
Williams also discussed, however, that there is a community component to his prevention efforts.
“We need your help because we’re all in this together,” he said.
Williams noted that 80 percent of the city’s gun violence is caused by people who sell narcotics, usually involving individuals who settle arguments with bullets. Cutting off the flow of customers, in a supply-and-demand sense, can help.
“If you want to help me reduce crime, I need you to help your family members, your friends, relatives, co-workers, that are addicted, help get them into rehab,” Williams said. “That really has a great impact.”
Reaction from residents
At least a couple attendees accepted Williams’ plea.
Nikki Bagby, who currently lives in Germantown, was a longtime Nicetown resident. She said as a result of a community effort, four nuisance properties were shut down near her home.
“It’s up to us to make some of our neighborhoods secure,” she said.
The key, she said, is for people to take ownership of their communities; residents cannot be afraid to speak up, and out, when unwanted activities or individuals become part of them.
North Philadelphia resident Evan Figueroa works with ex-offenders through the Philadelphia Recovery Community Center. He echoed Bagby’s sentiments, saying that residents can’t just stew in their frustration when it comes to tackling crime.
“If we want to see change in Philadelphia,” he said, “we have to make the change.”
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