It’s the day after Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero’s “Crime Summit” where he and city officials talked about recent shootings and homicides and proposed budget cuts to the city’s police department.
It was held at Union Missionary Baptist Church on Martin Luther King Boulevard where more than a hundred people listened to Bernero, Police Chief Teresa Szymanski, Circuit Judge James Giddings and City Council President A’Lynne Robinson.
There were many other officials present, including council-members, command level police officers and members from community service organizations.
So what did I learn and was it helpful?
- Mayor Bernero, in his opening remarks, that in Lansing too many young people are using guns and resorting to gangs to deal with life’s situations. However, he said, that overall in Lansing crime has declined and that Lansing is better than any one act of violence. Finding a solution to crime in the city, he said, will require more than one answer.
- Police Chief Teresa Szymanki emphasized that despite the eight days in the city where there were four homicides and multiple public shootings that crime is down in the city. She then encouraged more involvement in neighborhood watches, but then went on to say that no neighborhood is immune to violence.
- Circuit Court Judge James Giddings emphasized that Lansing was a safe city and that recent shootings and homicides were an anomaly. But, he admitted that he lives in Williamston, a small village east of our city.
Chief Szymanski also announced a new city program she called Operation PEACE which stands for Police 
Enforcement and Community Engagement – a one year program funded with $250,000 in federal stimulus funds. It is supposed to deal with extreme community crime problems. There were few details given.
Was it helpful and do I feel more secure living in the city?
I’d like to say “yes” to both. A person wants to believe in his or her leaders and that their reactions to a very serious problem is not based on satisfying the public looking for support, security and hope that the problem will be dealt with.
But, I remember similar meetings and proposals a few years ago when a serial killer murdered several women in our community. Did the surveillance cameras with their resultant expense and controversy make a difference? How about the other proposals?
Were you at the summit? Did you read about or hear about it in the media? What do you feel should be done?
I invite your comments.
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