I grew up in Sandtown in the 1940s, the oldest of four boys. We were raised by a single mother since my dad died in 1943. I don't know how Mom made it, but we had the help of the neighbors on the block, the Sharon Baptist family and I'm sure the help of the Lord. We all learned to treasure our educational opportunities, and we worked to get through school. We were all blessed to graduate from college and become contributing members of society. Morgan State was affordable then, even for a family like ours. Sandtown was a poor community then as it is now, but there was no problem with our relationship with the Baltimore City Police Department. In fact, there was a Police Boy's Club at Gold and Calhoun streets operated and staffed by police officers, one of whom was a member of Sharon. All kinds of sports and other activities were available to us there. That became our hangout.
Many things have changed in Sandtown since then. Unemployment has spawned a growth of drug traffic and gangs. Many people are killed either accidentally or intentionally in the resulting turf wars. The influence of church communities has diminished greatly, resulting in widespread lawlessness and antisocial activity. Many of those who are able have moved out leaving behind hundreds of boarded-up row houses. Schools have difficulty coping with children from homes where there are these and other problems and academic achievement suffers.
The police department attracts too many who have nothing but contempt and hatred for those in this community — the community they are sworn to protect and serve ("Can Batts get the job done?" May 22). The authority of a badge and a gun gives them an opportunity to vent their feelings in spite of the fear they still feel. When they do things they should not, they are supported by the "blue wall" of the loyalty of fellow officers, a biased system of justice that refuses to correct them when they are wrong and other unfair practices in our society. The African-American community responds to this police oppression with hatred and fear, avoiding any contact with the police. The police are regarded as an unwelcome occupying force. The job of policing in this community is thus made much more difficult. Young people often experience the loss of friends in this atmosphere of lack of respect for human life. Growing up in this situation leads them to sink into hopelessness, frustration and anger.
What is required is the opportunity for more positive interaction between willing segments of the community and persons of good will in the police department. The following are some ways this could be brought about.
•Organize a police cadet group of young men ages 18-21 (currently the minimum age of trainees is 21). Each of these would be assigned to a police mentor who would offer training in police activity. Participants would have to be a high school graduate or working on a GED. They'd earn a small stipend while in the group and would have to demonstrate some interest in becoming a police officer.
•Revive Boys and Girls Clubs. These could be housed in some of the boarded-up row houses which could be renovated for this purpose and staffed by police officers. These clubs could even get into some competitive activities. The program could include tutoring help.
•When there is a problem in the community (or perhaps on a regular basis), there could be meetings of community representatives and the police department in willing churches where frustrations and complaints could be aired and attempts made to resolve problems and ideas from the community would be heeded.
•Require that new police hires reside in Baltimore City. At present, there is no residency requirement for new hires.
•There should be a requirement for police officers to walk a beat, possibly in pairs, permitting more direct contact with the community.
Gregory P. Bagley, Owings Mills