A group of local activists , elected officials and police redoubled their efforts Wednesday night at Liberation Diploma Plus High School on West 19th Street to fight the increase of violence in Coney Island.
The ad-hoc organization called The Coney Island Anti-Violence Collaborative formed back in 2013 after two men in their neighborhood were fatally shot within one week. Over time, the group grew larger, and there are now over 100 volunteers that participate. The meeting also included the grassroots organization Urban Neighborhood Services.
Captain Daniel Magee of the 60th precinct announced at the meeting that police have responded to the recent spike in crime making three arrests and taking five guns off the street. But simply removing these five guns from the street is just a “temporary fix,” Magee pointed out. “We need a permanent fix.”
Other organizations involved with the CIAVC included The Coney Island Step Up Project, a group of compassionate volunteers who walk the neighborhood to talk with and hand out fliers to the youth in order to inspire them to do the right thing and help achieve that “permanent fix.” Being that Step Up is solely made of community members, “we can go where the police can not,” said Brother Rob, in reference to the beneficial impact they could add to their community.
The Liberation Leaders are a group of students from Liberation High School that have initiated events to keep their peers busy and off the street. With a barbeque already lined up this summer and art show planned for the fall, the Leaders have been busy working with the 60th precinct to organize an apprenticeship with the police academy for students at their high school.
City Council Member Mark Treyger, who was at the meeting, said is keeping local youth involved with positive activities, and emphasized the importance of reopening the Coney Island community centers that have been closed down for nearly three years due to Hurricane Sandy.
As such, Treyger was pleased to announce that the Surfside Gardens Community Center has recently succeeded in getting $99 million of FEMA funding for repairs to pay for a new roof, boiler and other infrastructure improvements to get the center running again.
