Syracuse may be on track for its highest homicide year on record, an issue bringing a local common council candidate out to discuss his crime fighting strategies.
Second district Republican candidate Alex Walsh criticizes mayoral candidates Stephanie Miner and Pat Hogan and their public safety proposals. He says the City needs “less talk, more action”.
“The first step is to actually bring everyone to the table that’s involved. From the community members and groups like the Syracuse United Neighbors, the Neighborhood Group, Home Headquarters, the police agencies, the District Attorney’s office, all those parties that would be involved in actually getting down to the grind.”
Walsh believes that a hybrid of Miner’s plan for targeted enforcement, along with blanket efforts like more foot patrols, proposed by Hogan, would help clean up neighborhoods and deter crime.
VACANT HOMES COULD HOLD KEY TO CRIME REDUCTION
Walsh also identifies vacant houses as part of the problem. He believes the recently developed City-County Land Bank can help turn these abandoned homes over to responsible property owners. He calls it an important step.
“If we can quickly turn over some of these vacant and rundown buildings to people who actually care about their building and where they live and work, and make the community more vibrant, it will deter crime and make people take pride in their neighborhood.”
While Walsh criticizes mayoral candidates Stephanie Miner and Pat Hogan for inactivity, he and Hogan have similar goals for the City’s abandoned homes. The policy was partly inspired by Rudy Giuliani’s “Broken Window Theory”, where neglect can greatly damage the atmosphere of a neighborhood. Walsh is running against Democrats Steve Thompson and Chad Ryan.
