State legislators join U. in fight against urban crime

State Senator Hardy WilliamsState Senator Hardy Williamscalled for a 'renaissance in theState Senator Hardy Williamscalled for a 'renaissance in themiddle of the worst of times.' State officials committed themselves to aiding local leaders in fighting area crime -- especially near campus -- during a community meeting yesterday. "We seek to create new and innovative solutions with the assurance of support from every sector to produce, yes, a renaissance in the middle of the worst of times," said State Sen. Hardy Williams (D-191st District) during the meeting, which specifically focused on recent crime at Penn. But he said he had no specific initiatives he was prepared to introduce. Williams organized the meeting to bring local businesses, schools and political representatives together to discuss collective approaches to attacking crime and other community issues. Earl Edwards of NuCare Systems, Inc. -- a local emergency medical service that puts community members through college in preparation to work for the company -- said he would begin discussions with Williams to utilize NuCare's services in West Philadelphia. "When our drivers are on down time, they'll be patrolling the area," Edwards said. He added that the idea is particularly feasible, since the ambulances have radio equipment linking them to 911. City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell said Philadelphia Police have made the West Philadelphia area a top priority. Blackwell said the city will upgrade several physical aspects of the area. For example, trees currently crowding out streetlights will be trimmed back. "We're doing everything we can to stop crime," Blackwell said. But resident Novella Williams, a member of Philadelphia's Citizens for Progress, said those efforts are not enough and criticized the University for isolating itself from its surrounding community. "We have a serious, serious problem, and it doesn't stop with the boundaries of the University of Pennsylvania," she said. "It stops nowhere. We have to develop a kind of relationship." Penn's Community Relations Director Glenn Bryan said he agreed with community members who argued University officials should be concerned with what happens beyond University Police jurisdiction. The Rev. William Yeats of the Woodland Avenue Presbyterian Church led the group in a prayer for Penn Medical Center researcher Vladimir Sled, who was stabbed to death last week.

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