MAKING an area safe from drugs means involving the community in identifying drug dealers to the authorities, according to a Manhattan crime prevention worker.
Ms Marjorie Cohen, a director of the Westside Crime Prevention Programme on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, said she worked in a poor area where there was "wholesale drug dealing" and drug related crime. In a survey there, 90 per cent of people said what they did not like about the area was the drug problem.
"There was lots of random gunfire, a high homicide rate and drug gangs trying to kill each other off. They were also supplying drugs from there to other parts of the city," Ms Cohen explained.
Initially, they identified the leaders in the community and asked them to identify the problems, she said. They asked people interested in getting involved to form small groups.
"The strategy was for people to observe, identify and report drug dealing. We taught them to identify drug dealers and be aware of how deals are done. We taught them how to follow through the criminal justice system".
She said they helped people to clean up their blocks and worked with landlords to improve lighting, get rid of graffiti and move rubbish.
"People are surprised because they don't think you can impact the system, this way, but you really can."
Ms Cohen said there had been no repercussions on people who had made contact with the police about drug dealers. "The telephone is their weapon. There have been no repercussions. We have a special line set up and there is a very fast response from the police. In fact two large drug gangs in the area have been taken down."