How Residents Are Taking Back Their City and Their Safety
By Kristen Hernandez
Mitchell Moore Park – Trusted Pompano Beach pastors and members of BSO have formed the People Pastors Police, or PPP Initiative, in direct response to the deadly wave of gun violence that’s recently washed over the entire city. PPP will include the collective help of not only familiar reverends, pastors, and BSO deputies, but also from the community. The announcement came during an April event called A.D.A.M., or Awesome Dads Awesome Men, family playday at Mitchell Moore Park.
“It’s so important to put pastors out there,” Pastor Ron Harper of I am Kingdom Ministries in Deerfield Beach said. “We don’t just care about you coming into our four walls, we’re going to meet you where you are, along with our police department. I think that is what’ll bring us together.”
Residents’ pleas are personal for Open Arm’s church leader, Pastor Henry L. Goodwin, uncle of Dayvon Johnson who was recently murdered during a drive-by convenience store shooting in February.
“Pastors are trusted faces in trusted places,” Goodwin said. “This initiative is what’ll make the difference. I’m just sorry it took the murder of my nephew, Dayvon, for this to happen. At least this way, it wouldn’t be for nothing.”
Goodwin, along with Reverend Tim Griffith of Hopewell Baptist Church who initially sparked the concept, Pastor Ron Harper with I am Kingdom Ministries, and Pastor Miguel Cruz with Puerta De Salvacion Iglesias have partnered with police to be the voice of any resident with information related to any crime.
People hesitate to come forward because of years of senseless violence, too many cold cases and not enough action. “We have to get over the stigma of ‘don’t say anything or be quiet,’” Cruz said. “It could be your nephew or your brother that committed the crime and you’re fearful to say something. Now, they can come to us.”
Residents with tips can turn to trusted leaders of their local church, anonymously. The clergy will pass that information to BSO during twice monthly briefings on the second and fourth Wednesday each month.
“These valuable tips will allow us to make a difference, and make real change,” BSO Captain Stallings said. “Residents have a true fear, so we’ve built that 954-493-TIPS (8477) line and you don’t have to give your name. Communication is key to this thing because we don’t know what to expect from the people who commit these crimes. Now, we can filter out rumors and bad information from good much faster.”
Announcing the PPP initiative at family day was just one of the ways pastors and BSO will get the word out. In the coming months, expect to see members of PPP out at local events, marches, and even knocking on doors to let people know they’re listening.
“PPP means Pastors, Police, and People,” Goodwin said. “It’ll take more than just trusted faces like church leaders and BSO. It will take help from this community.”
Community Based Connections CEO, Mike Olbel, partnered with BSO to host A.D.A.M.’s day to challenge local dads to bring the family and spend the afternoon at Mitchell Moore Park.
“A.D.A.M.’s challenge was created to lead the effort to promote fatherhood and family preservation,” Olbel said. “We wanted our kids to come to a park in their own neighborhood with family and be safe. Where there’s no gun violence, no drugs, no addiction happening at Mitchell Moore Park. Unfortunately, some folks believe they can’t come to enjoy it. This is a testimony to what partnership and family atmosphere can make possible.”
In the United States, there are about 18.4 million children that live without a father in the home. That’s enough to fill New York City twice, or Los Angeles four times over, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Research proves that a father’s absence affects children in numerous adverse ways.
Development Director of Community Based Connections, Amber Vaughan, spoke of her own experience growing up without a father. “I know now what difference having a father in my life would’ve made,” said Vaughan. “It takes a village so to see the community come together like this, this is special.”
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