FRIGHTENED RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE FOR A DAY

TRENTON -- In an effort to reclaim streets from drug dealers and gangs,
residents flooded a hardscrabble West Ward neighborhood yesterday on the
second day of an anti-violence "campout."

At the corner of Stuyvesant Avenue and Hoffman Street, face-painters
replaced graffiti artists and children played on sidewalks usually stalked
by street urchins.

The outpouring of community support was part of a weekend takeover of the
intersection by community activists, religious leaders, and city officials
who arrived Friday evening and didn't leave until this morning.

"The response is overwhelming. People are overcoming the most difficult
challenge and that is fear," said event organizer Emmanuel Avraham,
president of The Life Skills Academy, Inc.

Police barricades cordoned off several blocks of Stuyvesant Avenue for the
event, allowing residents to spend the day on a street so crime-ravaged
many said they have given up on it.

"Most times I don't even go on Stuyvesant. I avoid it," said Gail Morgan,
whose young daughter, Queen, tottered at her feet. "If we could do this
more often, maybe there wouldn't be so many drug dealers out here, standing
in front of all the stores."

City officials and religious leaders yesterday said the goal of the campout
was to spur parental involvement and attempt to bring more youth into
city-sponsored programs.

Mayor Doug Palmer said many children had signed up for Trenton's SCOOP, a
Department of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture weekend program
that features numerous activities at nine centers in the city.

"There's only so much the police department and the city can do for our
kids," said Palmer, who slept in a recreational vehicle at the campout
Friday night. "We don't want police taking the place of parents. We want to
reclaim our youth through our communities who have to rise up to meet the
challenge."

Even in the midst of the street fair atmosphere, it was apparent not
everyone was being reached.

Several groups of teens -- at least a few who flashed gang signs -- huddled
on nearby corners, seemingly confused at the loss of their turf.

Palmer said Trenton police will continue to maintain a visible presence at
the intersection throughout the summer.

No incidents were reported at the campout as of last night, according to
police. Also, a plan to have posts where individuals could turn in guns and
drug paraphernalia anonymously was scrapped when it was deemed too
dangerous with the number of people in the street, Avraham said.

Danielle Kinsey, whose grandson was shot and killed in gang-related
violence, said it was time for adults to take responsibility for their
"lost" children.

"My generation has failed our children," Kinsey said. "A lot of these kids
are lost. You can't be their buddy or their 'homey' because then you can't
raise them. This is a battle. Anyone who is not here with us today is part
of the problem."

West Ward city councilwoman Annette Lartigue acknowledged while the campout
was a success, it isn't a panacea for violence and gang problems.

"Without parental involvement we will continue to see a deterioration among
our youth," she said. "There's no way around it."

Minister Mustapha Muhammed drove to the campout from Plainfield, a North
Jersey city he said faced similar issues.

"Consistency is the key. If those charged with teaching our youth don't
stay on top of it, these wretched conditions will not end," Muhammed said.

But some parents said they can't reclaim their neighborhoods without help.

"I hardly come out. Since it's safe today, I came out," said Tanisha
Roberson, 31, who brought her 3-year-old son, Nathaniel, and 2-year-old
daughter, Natalie, to get their faces painted. "But usually there are just
too many people standing around making too much noise."

Akili Brown, a lifelong Trenton resident, said if West Ward residents don't
maintain the example of the campout, drug abuse and violence will continue
to mire the area.

"Too many kids are losing their lives out here. We've got to show them
another way," he said.