Anti-violence group takes steps to fight crime

While local elected officials, administrators and law enforcement authorities continue to travel to different cities in search of models that the City of New Orleans might be able to stem the rising tide of bloodshed, at least one group is not sitting around waiting for the Landrieu administration to find a solution to this harrowing problem that threatens the future of the city. A diverse group of individuals known as the Peace Keepers since 2009 have been targeting New Orleans neighborhoods that have been designated as hotspots, seeking to connect at-risk youth with badly needed services. Since 2009 this group has canvassed more than 30 neighborhoods; stopping fights, preventing shootings, providing counseling services, connecting people to educational programs and employment opportunities. In 2011 the Peace Keepers launched a “Squash the Beef” hotline, which allows individuals who have conflict to come to a private meeting to work toward resolving the conflict. Thus far, the Peace Keepers have mediated several “beefs” and help to prevent more bloodshed in already bloodstained streets.

On Wednewsday, June 27, 2012, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. the Peace Keepers will hold a community event that will provide citizens with the opportunity to become involved in its initiatives. The meeting will be held at the Mahalia Jackson Center, which is located at 2515 Jackson Avenue. At this meeting a call to action will be put before those in attendance, asking for their help to get involved in this effort to reduce the violence and work toward making our communities safe. See you at this important meeting.

At this meeting the founder of the Peace Keepers, Brother Dennis Muhammad, will be there to share with the community what actions it can take to get involved in this effort to combat crime and violence. “Crime and Violence could never be solved by those in law enforcement alone or by simply locking people up,” Brother Captain Dennis Muhammad, founder of the Peacekeepers Global Initiative, said last week. “There has to be a partnership between law enforcement and the community because crime and violence in the community is a social problem. It can only be solved with all of the social agencies, grassroots organizations, and religious groups along with law enforcement working together. Men must take responsibility to make the streets in their communities safe for the women, children and elderly.”

For more information about the Peace Keepers, visit www.thepeacekeepers.org.

This article was originally published in the June 25, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper