Community
meeting on gangs scheduled
Wednesday, April 05, 206 • By
SARAH CASSI • The Express-Times
PHILLIPSBURG | Sandy Ekis wants the
community to feel comfortable asking questions about
gangs.
"To me, it's an important issue," said
Ekis, president of the Delaware Heights Neighborhood Watch
group. "Maybe we don't have gang shootings, but maybe we
will. I want to discuss prevention and
intervention."
Ekis has organized an informational
meeting Thursday about gangs. School district and police
officials will participate.
Bob Pierfy, the district's guidance
supervisor, will give a presentation, followed by a question
and answer panel with Pierfy; Bill Merrick, the district's
interim security director; police Chief Robert Mirabelli;
and police Lts. Kenneth Decker and Edward
Mirenda.
Mirenda recently took over the police
department's gang unit.
Ekis said the murder of 16-year-old
Clarence "C.J." Edwards in Easton spurred her to organize
the forum.
Police have charged Qu'eed Batts, a
14-year-old Phillipsburg High School student, and
22-year-old Vernon Bradley of Easton in Edwards' death.
Officials working on the case have said the shooting may
have been tied to gangs.
Pierfy said the shooting caused
Phillipsburg residents' concern about gangs to
spike.
"A lot of people are concerned about
what's going on in the community. This is a chance to
actually get an idea of what's out there, not what they
think is out there," Merrick said.
Phillipsburg is somewhere in the middle
in terms of gang activity, Pierfy said.
"I don't want parents to put their heads
in the sand, but I don't want them to think we live in east
L.A.," Pierfy said.
Pierfy was the district's student
assistance coordinator for 17 years, and he said he's going
to discuss the guidance/parenting response to
gangs.
"I'm going to talk about why kids get
into gangs and what parents can do," Pierfy said.
Pierfy said he will also discuss how the
community can respond.
"Parents often times can either be in
denial or guilt in addressing whatever the issue may be,"
Pierfy said. "I make it a point not to point the finger at
the parents. It doesn't really help at this
point."
Reporter Sarah Cassi can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by
e-mail at scassi@express-times.com.
© 2006 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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