MAYOR AND COUNCIL NEED TO HELP FIGHT CRIME

THE EDITOR:

Re: Gang forum hosted by the Abbotsford Police and the Abbotsford
School District recently.

Abbotsford Councillor John Smith recently stated that the gang forum
on March 2 was "such an important event."

It truly is an important issue, since street gang and drug-related
crime affect each citizen's safety and well-being in our city.

I must ask, based on this fact, since the mayor and half the council
had a meeting that prevented them from attending the forum, if they
requested someone to be a community representative or support person
from Abbotsford City Hall. Perhaps the city's social planner or
Theresa Stroing, member of the Municipal Integrated Task Force
[crime], or a member of the social advisory committee [formed to
address the city's most pressing social issues], or the city manager?

Mr. Franke Roffel, a representative for School District No. 34
[Abbotsford], gave a presentation at the gang forum that had a title
worthy of note: A Community of Ostriches or Eagles?

He informed citizens that "gangs like to live in the shadows in
communities where residents live in fear and denial." He said "it
happens in dysfunctional communities, where parks and playgrounds are
populated with drug addicts and prostitutes, and where residents see
no hope for improvement." This so reminds me of the several
neighborhoods in our community, where residents are struggling with
these same problems. We are truly a community of ostriches and that
is why street gang and drug-related crime is evident in our community.

Our mayor and council need to help create a community-driven focus on
crime prevention to keep crime from maintaining a foothold. As Mr.
Roffel stated, we must expand our surveillance beyond the property line.

Lilly Kaetler

Abbotsford