About 60 residents, community leaders, elected officials and law enforcement officers attend session.
By: Jennifer Potash
Reducing tension between racial and ethnic groups and lessening the appeal of street gangs requires more intense community involvement in the lives of at-risk youth, according to the findings of a citizen-led group.
The Princeton Human Services Commission, which held several summits last year to bridge differences among residents and to foster community ties, sponsored the gathering Wednesday at the Suzanne Patterson Senior Center behind Princeton Borough Hall.
About 60 residents, community leaders, elected officials and law enforcement officials attended the session.
The participants aimed to winnow a laundry list of potential solutions proposed at a Nov. 15 forum.
The Human Services Commission launched these forums amid the spark of alleged racial tension in the John-Witherspoon neighborhood and at Princeton High School last fall. During a three-week period between late October and November, three Hispanic males were the victims of crimes attempted burglary and assault in which the alleged perpetrators were black.
Meeting participants broke into small groups and focused on the topics of police, education, race relations, parenting, affordable housing and community programs.
Several of the participants focused on a proposal for residents to mentor at-risk youth.
Lance Liverman, a Princeton Township Committee member and liaison to the Human Services Commission, suggested a very simple approach.
"Be responsible for the kid next door," Mr. Liverman said.
Other participants suggested enlisting community organizations for a mentoring program and shifting the Human Services Departments Summer Youth Employment Program to include more at-risk kids.
Aroldo Rodas, a Human Services Commission member, said programs at the local police departments such as Princeton Township Police Academy help to build trust between the young people and the police.
Also, he suggested a community concert or other events built around teen interests to draw them into more positive activities.
Young people may be more trusting of the police given a chance to interact with off-duty officers, said Mary Agnes Procaccino, a Human Services Commission member. She noted when her relatives served in the borough police department, they ran music and sports programs for Princeton youth.
In August, borough police joined with several organizations to launch a youth weekend basketball tournament, but the event was canceled due to low participation, Chief Anthony Federico said. The department would be willing to try again, he said.
Greater collaboration among community groups that serve youth, such as the Princeton Family YMCA, for teen-friendly events was listed as a goal.
Richard Smith, president of the Princeton YMCA, said the necessary organizations and support already exist and the community needs to supply some creative ideas for programs.
The meeting also drew about a dozen Princeton High School students.
A space to call their own, such as an after-school teen center, was a popular suggestion from the students.
There was little support expressed for a resource officer an armed, uniformed specially trained police officer to patrol school halls.
Better communication among parents, children and schools is essential, said Caroline Mitchell, who spoke on behalf of the parenting sub-group.
The Princeton Regional School District also should restore the Parents Resource Center, which could serve as a mentoring program to "help parents navigate through life," she said.
It will take more than just talk to reduce racial tension and clear up the community’s misconceptions, according to the group. One goal is to develop leaders in the minority community through participation on key municipal boards and commissions, including planning and zoning boards.
Instead of having an "annual self-flagellation experience" to bemoan racial stereotyping and clashes between racial and ethnic groups, Princeton residents should gather on a more regular basis, said Hendricks Davis, a John Street resident, who spoke on behalf of the race relations group.
"We should start an honest conversation with each other," Mr. Davis said.