Local pastors, police and concerned citizens gathered Thursday morning at the Columbus Municipal Complex with one goal in mind: Finding new ways to fight crime, make neighborhoods safer and improve the quality of life for residents of Lowndes County.
Often during the two-hour public forum, speeches were met with a chorus of amens from the crowd of more than three dozen people.
When Sandra Brown, new pastor of Artesia United Methodist Church in West Point spoke, her voice shook with barely controlled emotion as she recounted a common problem — a young man she had helped two years ago called her this week and told her that her previous compassion helped him, and once again he finds himself in trouble.
“He said, ”I messed up, I need a job and I want to start over,”” Brown said.
Though she wanted to help him, she didn”t know where to turn.
That is exactly the type of scenario Columbus Police Interim Chief Selvain McQueen had in mind when he decided to invite pastors to the forum. As the “cornerstones” of the community, McQueen said he felt recruiting local clergy, and calling upon church-led resources already in place, might curb violence before it occurs and bring about a positive change in the city as well as in people”s lives.
Feelings about the severity of the crime problem varied, from Lowndes County Supervisor Leroy Brooks saying he is sometimes afraid as he drives the streets, to Hope Community Church pastor Bo Jeffares saying, “It”s not like Columbus is the worst place” and adding that with his church having “a younger demographic,” his parishioners are not so much fearful as concerned and wondering how they can help.
Brooks suggested the pastors and police join forces to make a joint task force, acknowledging that while such a move has been successful in some communities, “what works in Jackson may not work here.”
“Crime is a big issue,” he said. “It may not be in Cady Hills or Bent Tree right now, but wait a little while. People do not want to live in a crime-ridden community … every child seems to have a gun.”
Some saw a need for not just crime prevention but helping stop crime before it has a chance to take hold in a person”s life.
Since the pastors came to the police on Thursday, perhaps police officers could go into the churches on Sundays, suggested Herman Peters, who serves as a personal trainer at the YMCA. Police officers could come to Sunday School classes and speak with children so that as the children grow up they know and trust police.
Likewise, he said, the police could teach parents and elders in the church how to identify warning signs that a child may be going astray. He recounted a story where a child brought a crack rock to church and it fell out of his pocket. He said the teacher picked the small object up and said, “Stop throwing spitballs.” She didn”t realize she was holding an illegal drug.
But most agreed that talk without action is pointless.
“There are some great minds here,” Jimmy Pounds, pastor of Canaan Baptist Church said. “We can”t just go home and sit down and wait for the next meeting … the devil is not waiting on us.”
He suggested a monthly meeting between law enforcement and faith-based organizations, saying: “All of us have the same color of blood. If you”re going to do it, do it, and if you”re not going to do it, stop talking about it … they”re not waiting on us. We”re waiting on us.”
After the meeting, McQueen said he was pleased with the turnout as well as the suggestions offered and hopes to meet with the group again soon.
Carmen K. Sisson is the former news editor at The Dispatch.
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