Renea Eliassaint Crime Fighter of the Year 2008
Our National Night Out 2008 Crime Fighter of the Year is Renea
Eliassaint. Renea’s consistent positive attitude and willingness to see
all sides of a question is an inspiration to the residents and
officials with whom she works. As a former Social Services Coordinator
for the Dorchester Bay Economic Corporation Ms. Eliassaint has worked
with the Neighborhood Crime Watch Unit and Area B-2 Community Service
Officers over the last ten years helping to form numerous crime watch
groups including the Alexander/Magnolia Crime Watch, the Cottage Brook
Apartments Crime Watch, the Dudley Terrace Apartments Crime Watch, the
Ceylon/ Uphams Apartment Crime Watch and the Geneva Apartments Crime
Watch.
Ms. Eliassaint has successfully promoted empowerment and growth by organizing and facilitating crime watch meetings, where members meet regularly with detectives and officers from the Area B-2 Anti-Crime Unit, Youth Violence Strike Force, and in Dorchester as a member of the Upham’s Corner Safe Neighborhood Initiative. Together, these citizens help combat prostitution; gang activity and drug related crimes in a neighborhood that was once considered the epicenter of gang violence in Boston.
Her resident organizing and leadership building programs as an Outreach Community Specialist for Peace Games Inc. make Ms. Eliassaint an invaluable partner to the Boston Police.
Sometimes we measure the value of peoples efforts to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood by how long they have worked at it, it is true here, but it is also the focus, passion and dedication she brings to it that is so special.
We congratulate Ms. Eliassaint on her great achievements.
Ms. Eliassaint has successfully promoted empowerment and growth by organizing and facilitating crime watch meetings, where members meet regularly with detectives and officers from the Area B-2 Anti-Crime Unit, Youth Violence Strike Force, and in Dorchester as a member of the Upham’s Corner Safe Neighborhood Initiative. Together, these citizens help combat prostitution; gang activity and drug related crimes in a neighborhood that was once considered the epicenter of gang violence in Boston.
Her resident organizing and leadership building programs as an Outreach Community Specialist for Peace Games Inc. make Ms. Eliassaint an invaluable partner to the Boston Police.
Sometimes we measure the value of peoples efforts to improve the quality of life in their neighborhood by how long they have worked at it, it is true here, but it is also the focus, passion and dedication she brings to it that is so special.
We congratulate Ms. Eliassaint on her great achievements.
Congratulations to the following Top Ten Groups of the Year
Young at Art Ambassadors, South Boston
Geared for youth’s ages 12-18, Young at Arts gives youth opportunities to interact with adults, their community, and teaches them new skills and provides a healthy, safe and fun alternative to substance abuse and violence. Helping kids feel more accountable and building positive reinforcement through “Community Day” and the “Mayor Rocks Program” this gives members avenues to showcase their strengths in conflict resolution, mediation and crime prevention through community service. Youth who participate in Young at Arts are leaders in the community and serve as role models and mentors for their peers. Congratulations.
Paul Gore Neighbors, Jamaica Plain
Paul Gore Neighbors organized around the concept of building community and reducing crime via community activities. Their unwavering, creative and fun approach has connected and educated neighbors on their street reducing crime. They host block parties, yard sales, movie nights, Oscar parties, dinner parties, and clean ups. In addition they were an early adopter of the E-13 Jamaica Plain Neighbors Network and used the pilot Social Network to connect neighbors and communicate about community and crime happenings. They have partnered with the E-13 Police, attended Monthly Community Meetings, and collaborated with nearby groups.
Graffiti NABBer’s, Back Bay
The Graffiti NABBer’s began as a sub-committee of NABB’s (Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay) Crime Committee to address the prolific and perplexing problem of graffiti in the Back Bay. Through their tireless efforts and partnership with police, city agencies, the DA’s office and the court system they have made an incredible difference in the quality of life for residents and business property owners. They have put the crime of vandalism by graffiti on everyone’s radar screen and have made a statement by saying to vandals “not in our neighborhood or there will be penalties” and everyone has taken notice.
Stellman Road/Granfield Avenue Crime Watch, Roslindale
Last summer, the Stellman/Granfield neighborhood suffered an escalation
of violent crime, causing a sense of fear and unease among residents.
Very late one October evening, a random shooting of eighteen bullets
into two triple-deckers took place. Fear was palpable and residents
realized something had to be done to restore their sense of calm and
safety.
A few residents had previously established a good relationship with District 5 Police due to a community organizing effort, and police had been attentive to the area. However, residents realized they must be the ones to step up to the plate and take control of their environment.
They started a crime watch and invited youth to participate. People became engaged and some took charge of various action steps and crime watch activities. The group grew in resolve and became much focused. Captain James Hasson assigned a walking patrol and provided a dedicated police presence. All types of crime subsided, people felt safer, and they established better relationships amongst themselves and with the police.
The Radnor Road Neighborhood Association has been instrumental in helping to reduce the amount of calls for service units to Radnor Road, Foster Street and the surrounding areas. They constantly work with the Boston Police Department, The Boston College Police and various other city agencies to help control the issues of under age drinking, public disturbances and loud parties. Their commitment to reducing crime and fear of crime in their neighborhood remains constant and firm.
Through their dedication, persistence, and commitment to the quality of life in their neighborhood, this group brought their neighborhood together to address a potentially dangerous and crippling problem, which helped to release tensions in the neighborhood and reduced the fear of further crime.
The problem that visited this neighborhood was drug dealing and the traffic associated with it as well as burglaries. WAAG came together under the leadership of Theresa Fitzgerald. They immediately identified the suspected drug dealer and his address, once identified the group provided the C-11 Drug Unit with pertinent and important information that was instrumental in assisting the police in arresting and removing two suspects. Further, because of their participation in assisting Dorchester Court prosecutors a stay away order was issued, removing them from the neighborhood for the foreseeable future. Congratulations.
The Friends of Eden Street Park have reduced crime by building community, by uniting neighbors around beautifications and enhancement to the community park. Working with the Charlestown Neighborhood Watch Coalition, Area A-1 Police, CSAC, CHAD, and the Parks Department the group has organizing monthly park clean ups, participated in Boston Shines, and hosting Neighborhood Crime Watch Meetings. The result of their efforts has been an increase and the sense and experience of community and reduction in crime. The long term commitment and pride in their park can be seen in the beautiful flowerbed next to the tot-lot and a hill of perennials. Congratulations.
This Dorchester Co-op community has been diligently fighting to keep drugs and negative activities away from their streets for years. They have met monthly with community service officers and neighborhood service personnel to discuss ways to produce positive change, even if it involves one from their community. They have tackled the rampart drug traffic working with the Upham’s Corner Safe Neighborhood Initiative and even helped those who were using to seek help. To date they were instrumental in closing three drug houses on their streets. Consequently, a trust has been generated among neighbors and between and the police. Congratulations.
On Thursday, September 27, 2007 members of the Tower/Woodlawn Street Crime Watch were instrumental in the apprehension of persons responsible for the shooting of an individual. The information provided by said members led to the arrest of those persons responsible, the vehicle in which they fled the scene as well as the recovery of the firearm involved and a quantity of illegal drugs. We congratulate them for their perseverance and courage.
A few residents had previously established a good relationship with District 5 Police due to a community organizing effort, and police had been attentive to the area. However, residents realized they must be the ones to step up to the plate and take control of their environment.
They started a crime watch and invited youth to participate. People became engaged and some took charge of various action steps and crime watch activities. The group grew in resolve and became much focused. Captain James Hasson assigned a walking patrol and provided a dedicated police presence. All types of crime subsided, people felt safer, and they established better relationships amongst themselves and with the police.
Radnor Road Neighborhood Association, Brighton
The Radnor Road Neighborhood Association has been instrumental in helping to reduce the amount of calls for service units to Radnor Road, Foster Street and the surrounding areas. They constantly work with the Boston Police Department, The Boston College Police and various other city agencies to help control the issues of under age drinking, public disturbances and loud parties. Their commitment to reducing crime and fear of crime in their neighborhood remains constant and firm.
WAAG ( Westglow/Ashmont/Auriga/Garner Road ), Dorchester
Through their dedication, persistence, and commitment to the quality of life in their neighborhood, this group brought their neighborhood together to address a potentially dangerous and crippling problem, which helped to release tensions in the neighborhood and reduced the fear of further crime.
The problem that visited this neighborhood was drug dealing and the traffic associated with it as well as burglaries. WAAG came together under the leadership of Theresa Fitzgerald. They immediately identified the suspected drug dealer and his address, once identified the group provided the C-11 Drug Unit with pertinent and important information that was instrumental in assisting the police in arresting and removing two suspects. Further, because of their participation in assisting Dorchester Court prosecutors a stay away order was issued, removing them from the neighborhood for the foreseeable future. Congratulations.
The Friends of Eden Street Park, Charlestown
The Friends of Eden Street Park have reduced crime by building community, by uniting neighbors around beautifications and enhancement to the community park. Working with the Charlestown Neighborhood Watch Coalition, Area A-1 Police, CSAC, CHAD, and the Parks Department the group has organizing monthly park clean ups, participated in Boston Shines, and hosting Neighborhood Crime Watch Meetings. The result of their efforts has been an increase and the sense and experience of community and reduction in crime. The long term commitment and pride in their park can be seen in the beautiful flowerbed next to the tot-lot and a hill of perennials. Congratulations.
Alexander/ Magnolia Street Crime Watch, Dorchester
This Dorchester Co-op community has been diligently fighting to keep drugs and negative activities away from their streets for years. They have met monthly with community service officers and neighborhood service personnel to discuss ways to produce positive change, even if it involves one from their community. They have tackled the rampart drug traffic working with the Upham’s Corner Safe Neighborhood Initiative and even helped those who were using to seek help. To date they were instrumental in closing three drug houses on their streets. Consequently, a trust has been generated among neighbors and between and the police. Congratulations.
Tower/Woodlawn Street Crime Watch, Jamaica Plain
On Thursday, September 27, 2007 members of the Tower/Woodlawn Street Crime Watch were instrumental in the apprehension of persons responsible for the shooting of an individual. The information provided by said members led to the arrest of those persons responsible, the vehicle in which they fled the scene as well as the recovery of the firearm involved and a quantity of illegal drugs. We congratulate them for their perseverance and courage.
The Princeton Street Crime Watch
No Picture Available:
No Picture Available:
The Princeton Street Crime Watch was formed about two years ago with a meeting held at the home of Florence Testa.
The group first met at an informational meeting, and soon began meeting on a monthly basis. The Princeton Street Crime Watch group has become a valuable partner in District 7's effort to lower the crime rate in the Eagle Hill area. Coupled with the communication from our Crime Watch Groups and the hard work of our Safe Street Team, we have seen a significant drop in crime in the Eagle Hill/Princeton Street area.
It is this type of partnership that empowers the officers of District 7 and residents of East Boston in making this community a safe place to call home and raise a family. We congratulate all of the members.
