The main topic on the table at Tuesday’s meeting of the Dwight Central Management Team was security. Residents listened to Alderman Yusuf Shah talk about how New Haven can temper the recent rash of shootings and to Eugenie V. Schwartz from Yale New Haven Health about emergency preparedness during hurricane season.
“Shooting must stop in the neighborhood, the shooting must stop in the city of New Haven,” said Alderman Shah, who represents Ward 23. “There’s no excuse.”
The alderman referred to shootings this past weekend.
Alderman Shah said that in order for the number of shootings to go down, the city needs to keep up with its community based policing tactics.
“They should get out of cars, go door to door, talk to people,” Shah said, referring to police officers. “They should know that Bill has two dogs,” he said, invoking laughter among the approximately 20 people in attendance.
Chairperson Florita Gillespie (pictured earlier in the day at a ground-breaking) introduced Eugenie V. Schwartz and encouraged those in the room to stay and hear Schwartz’s presentation. “What happened in New Orleans, it can happen here,” Gillespie said.
Schwartz came prepared with handouts and refrigerator reminder magnets. Her simple and clear power point presentation was called “Make a plan/Build a kit/Get involved.”
Those in attendance listened as Schwartz detailed what to include in an emergency kit, (flashlight, prescription medications, batteries, pocket knife, cash), how to plan for meeting up with your loved ones after an emergency and how to help others in the event of an emergency.
“Put a list of emergency numbers on your fridge,” Schwartz (pictured) said. Included with the handouts was a dry erase board and marker. “Have an evacuation route. Select a meeting place other than home.”
The Yale New Haven Center for Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Response can be accessed here.
Bill Bixby, head of the Public Safety Committee, discussed the Civilian Review Board, which has a member from each community Management Team. He explained that the committee takes complaints from residents about police department officers and encouraged those in attendance to take advantage of it.
Gillespie also briefly mentioned how happy she and the Management Team were with Neighborhood Housing Services, which just broke ground Tuesday on a new project that will turn a defunct laundromat on Dwight Street into a 2‑family house.
Tuesday’s meeting was the last until September, but the summer will be full of youth activites, courtesy of Youth Initiatives leader Gina Calder and hopefully a free community cookout sponsored by Alderman Shah.