A shooting on Goodrich Street late Friday night has once again brought up the quality of life issues facing residents of southern Hamden who are calling on town officials to do more to address them.
A woman was shot twice, the victim of a drive-by shooting, just before midnight Friday, according to Police Chief Tom Wydra.
"Just prior to midnight, a female was shot while traveling in her vehicle on Goodrich Street near Shelton Avenue," Wydra said. "A large four-door Acura drove alongside the victim's vehicle and two male suspects began firing at her and the vehicle. The female was struck twice by a .45 caliber gun. She was transported to St. Raphael's Hospital for treatment. She is expected to survive."
Around the same time, the New Haven Police Department was investigating a shooting nearby on Lilac Street, he said.
"We are investigating the possibility of the shootings being connected," he said. "Our Major Crimes and Crime Scene Units are managing the investigation."
The shooting does not appear to be random, Wydra said.
"We don't believe that this was a random act of violence," he said.
Violence becoming too common
The shooting was the latest in a string of incidents in southern Hamden that has many living there looking for help from the town.
"Overall there has been spike in violent crime in southern Hamden," Wydra said. "We are keenly aware of that and have increased patrols in hopes of curtailing some of that violence."
But to some extent, the department's hands are tied, Wydra said, as the department's request for overtime for the 2012-13 budget was cut. Wydra requested $700,000 for overtime, Mayor Scott Jackson cut that to $600,000.
But the department has increased patrols in the area, including bicycle patrols in the Newhall and Farmington Canal Trail areas during peak hours, Wydra said.
"I would recommend that any citizen employ precautions and also strongly encourage them contact us if they witness a crime or hear of one," he said.
The department has a substation at the former Hamden Middle School building, but it's not staffed regularly because it doesn't have the resources to do so, Wydra said.
"It's a drop-in point for officers and provides a point in the neighborhood where people can expect to see police officers," he said.
Residents look to town for help
Southern Hamden residents have become a more cohesive group, working to bring awareness to the issues they are facing, and that effort will continue, according to Shahid Abdul-Karim, who with his wife T. In’Naam have been active in bringing residents together.
"We are organizing our efforts with other community leaders in the south end to encourage more civic participation to address the increase crime in our area," he said. "Our desire is to continue to partner with the town to increase lighting in the hots spots and establish quality business, upgrading the property value and our tax base."
As the area continues to evolve, the town needs to become proactive to its needs and issues, he said.
"This is not the Hamden of 20 years ago, the dynamics and diversity of the community has changed," he said, "which requires our elected officials and Police Department to meet those immediate needs"
2) But to some extent, the department's hands are tied, Wydra said, as the department's request for overtime for the 2012-13 budget was cut. Wydra requested $700,000 for overtime; Mayor Scott Jackson cut that to $600,000.” These two above comments made by Hamden’s police Chief Wydra would suggest in part that there is a man power storage in the Hamden Police Department due to financial resources. Also Shahid Abdul-Karim below comment suggests the same thing. "This is not the Hamden of 20 years ago, the dynamics and diversity of the community has changed," he said, "which requires our elected officials and Police Department to meet those immediate needs" Mayor Jackson, are you hearing what your police chief is saying and what Shahid Abdul-Karim is saying? I believe these two creditable people are saying there is a man power shortage in the Hamden police Department. What are you going to do Mayor Jackson to correct this police man power shortage, remember this is not the Hamden of 20 years ago; the population of Hamden has increased. So are you doing to use up the already under funded police overtime account or are you going to hire new police officers?
Knowing now that Shahid Abdul Karim is a Hamden Fire Commissioner and a member of the Jackson administration I can now understand why he chooses not to cast any blame on Mayor Jackson’s administration for the increased crime in Southern Hamden.
I can agree that it is nice to know who you are "speaking" with on the HamdenPatch, but it doesn't seem to skew what I find to be very true about his statements. I have a background in social science, public administration and have worked in far larger cities with a myriad of issues...whereas Hamden is only on seeing the beginning of such issues. What I am sure of is that one administration did not cause and cannot end these issues. They are well above the means of a Town. Poverty cannot not be stopped by one town. Hopelessness cannot be stopped by one administration. These issues take years to manifest and years to undo. These issues are borne because of mass neglect over long periods of time. I agree with Shahid Abdul Karim, shared responsibility is the solution. We are looking at a behavioral epidemic, apathy, hopelessness and acts of desperation at its worse. I will take a little assistance from the Mayor, some from the police chief and some from Public Works without question- BUT, ultimately the biggest help I can get is from my left and right hand and knowing that my neighbor cares and is willing to act with me or on in my stead. Personal responsibility coupled with public and private responsibility create a place that everyone can thrive in.- Of course this is just my humble opinion.
I lived in Southern for 23 years and in those 23 years I saw more BS (bad strategies) from our local political leaders concerning all kinds of issues in Southern Hamden. Our political leaders in the past and today are just giving out lip service and band aids. Betty you suggested shared responsibility is the solution to the issues in Southern Hamden. This administration and past administration see shared responsibility as costing money and higher property taxes. With that said this administration is waiting for the voices in Southern Hamden to go silent like they have done so many times before. Betty I suggest to you that you read the old Hamden Chronicle newspaper archives to understand Southern Hamden and how our political leaders dealt with decade’s old issues in Southern Hamden. Hopefully these newspaper articles will give you a historical outlook of Southern Hamden and it’s decide old issues, seeing you are new to to the politcail world in Hamden.
Thank you so much for your words of wisdom. We always need young and energetic folks like myself, mature people like you and someone with enough money to get things done in the mix/conversation. I am VERY new to Hamden politics, but not politics in general. I will definitely read up on things...again thank you for your feedback.
Holy Cow, as Batman would say, Food prices are going up faster than gasoline.