Southern Hamden Cry For Help Falls on Deaf Ears

To the Editor:

The New Haven Register recently reported on the rising crime in the southern part of Hamden. The report characterized the crime as follows: Suspicious activity in parking lots, gunfire,prostitution, people being shot, drug trafficking and graffiti.

It is a fundamental human right that our citizens should feel safe and secure in their own homes. Clearly, this is not the case in Southern Hamden. We cannot ignore, minimize or rationalize the plight of our neighbors to the south. For too long, this and prior administrations have given lip service to this growing and menacing threat.

So how did the administration respond:

• 1) Stay active and continue to report suspicious activity
• 2) Complaints will be logged
• 3) Police will continue to work on resident concerns,
• 4) People should start “snitching,” and
• 5) Have no worries about retaliation.

Now I ask you, if this was your neighborhood, does this response make you feel more secure? Would you feel safe in your home or neighborhood? Is this the kind of response that makes you believe the town is doing what is necessary to bring the situation under control? I don’t think so.

This is the same old rhetoric that our neighbors have come to expect - much talk and little action. I do not blame the hardworking men and women on the police force, they are carrying on as directed by the administration. What is needed is decisive action.

Imam, Abdul-Majid KarimHasan said that “there has been more crime and loitering in the area compared to previous years, and asked whether surveillance cameras could be placed on utility poles”. This is something I support and should be done without delay.

The town responded to this suggestion by saying, “cameras would be expensive for the town to purchase.”

Just think about this for a moment. Mayor Jackson can place cameras at a garbage dump, but is unwilling to place surveillance equipment where our residents are in danger.

You be the judge, taxes continue to increase, services continue to diminish, fees are becoming a standard practice, security has been compromised, education now cost $100M-plus annually. Can we continue to support this level of incompetence?

The citizens of the southern part of town have spoken. Is anyone listening? This is our problem requiring a town wide response. This administration has been unwilling or incapable ofresponding to simple cry for help!

Ron Gambardella
Republican Town Committee Chairman