HOBBS: BLAME 'BAD APPLE,' NOT BLACK COMMUNITY

Thursday's shootout on Wise Street shouldn't leave a stain on the black
community there, City Councilman Everett Hobbs said.

The shootout left two Alexandria police officers dead and three others
wounded. The assailant, who was killed, reportedly was a black man. His
name has not been released. Some members of the predominantly black crowd
that gathered to watch the excitement turned on police, calling the
officers obscene names.

Some crowd members said police officers are unfair to the black community.

Hobbs said Thursday's incident is not racial. He represents District 2,
which includes the area of the shootout.

Hobbs referred to the shooting of the officers as a terrible tragedy but
still an "isolated incident."

"It's a dark cloud on the city, but I want to say that there are good
people in South Alexandria," Hobbs said.

Asked if he thinks tensions are high between the black community and the
city police department, as they were a few years ago, Hobbs downplayed that
idea.

"It's not the black community against the police force. I simply think
you've got some bad apples throughout the city and that what we saw today
was a bad apple in that part of the city."

Hobbs said the APD Narcotics Division has been effective at addressing drug
trafficking in neighborhoods throughout the city, including areas in his
district. And while that has been positive, often the drug pushers will
stay a step ahead and move to a new location, he said.

Hobbs believes drug trafficking somehow played a role in the shootout.

"If you ever watch drug trafficking, it moves from one area to another
area. That may be the case here," Hobbs said. "Of course, it could happen
anywhere in the city. This is just one bad apple in the bunch."

Hobbs said the city police force is losing a lot of officers to state and
parish law enforcement agencies, and it's time to look at giving police
officers a raise.

"We have to look at the city budget a little closer," Hobbs said.

The shootout on Wise Street began about noon Thursday. Hobbs said he first
heard about the incident about 1 p.m., and he drove directly to the scene
and began talking to residents, while remaining in close contact with City
Council President Charles F. Smith Jr.

"The elderly people I talked to were concerned and scared. I was there to
provide support for them and to support law enforcement," Hobbs "I commend
(APD) for putting their lives on the line and for the other agencies out
there for doing the same. They did a tremendous job."

On Wednesday morning, an officer in his patrol car was fired upon while on
Overton Street. The assailant in that case is believed to also be the
shooter in Thursday's incident.

Hobbs said he went to the Overton Street area on Wednesday and drove
around. He talked to residents and witnessed police walking their beat and
asking residents questions about the shooting.

"I thought they might come to a conclusion and find out what had happened,"
Hobbs said.

"I never thought it would escalate into what happened today. I hope it
doesn't give a bad blemish on South Alexandria. I hate that this incident
happened because it proves that they put their lives on the line every day."

Hobbs believes it is important that a community meeting is held so
residents can voice their concerns about what is happening in their
neighborhoods.

"I think we should have a community meeting. Tempers are up right now, and
we need to let things settle down. But at some point in time we need to
come together, sit down and talk about our differences."

In 1999, racial tensions became heated in the city following allegations of
unfair treatment by the police in the black community.

In response to those concerns, in 2000, the city of Alexandria created the
Alexandria Human Relations Commission in order to pursue civil rights
complaints and provide mediation, while fostering better relations between
the races.

Margie Harris, vice chairman of the commission, said she has not been
active on the committee in recent months due to an illness in the family.
When asked about the shooting and relations between the black community and
the police, she reluctantly admitted she has heard concerns.

"There is that concern," Harris said.

Rabbi Arnold Task, who helped found the committee, said Thursday's tragedy
definitely requires more investigation, and that includes increased
involvement by the Human Relations Commission.

"I feel we need to meet very, very soon," Task said. "I'm so glad we have
our commission, and I feel so sad for our community."

Task said that when a civil rights concern comes to the commission's
attention, the individual is contacted, and usually a committee member,
often a member of the clergy, meets with the complainant.

"We try to do it in a careful and discreet way that was most helpful to the
people involved," Task said.

Task said the person assisting a complainant is often known to the
complainant, and they are able to work it out.

"There have been times we've referred them to agencies in Baton Rouge like
the state Human Rights Commission, a place where people can refer their
problems," Task said.

Task said the committee should be doing even more.

"Oh absolutely, more than ever," Task said. "There will always be
situations where things are not done right, or people are misunderstood,
and there are a lot of angry people out there, and that's part of society."

Task said situations like this one prove that anger is a concern, but
lashing out in anger doesn't help in resolving a problem.

Task spoke of a public meeting held last year in which members of the black
community voiced their concerns.

"We'll have to do more of that," Task said. "In the meantime we need to
find out what in the world happened today."

"I feel so terribly sad for all the police officers and their families,"
Task said. "The officers are in a sense doing their best to make our
community a safe community."