U. gift helps town watch groups

Describing the gift as an example of the University's "strong commitment" to the surrounding community, the Division of Public Safety donated 16 new two-way radios to local town watch groups at a Tuesday ceremony at the division's 40th Street mini-station. University officials and community leaders hailed the event as representative of a renewed town-gown partnership three months after several community leaders had blasted Penn for the February reassignment of University Police Lt. Sue Holmes. Until the transfer, Holmes had worked in Public Safety's Special Services division during the day and worked closely with the town watch organizations at night for several years. But many community leaders complained after Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush tapped Holmes to supervise University Police's late-night patrol shift, where they said she would not have as much opportunity to interact with the community. This week, however, members of the West Philadelphia Partnership Town Watch Network were all smiles during the ceremony as they received the radios, valued at approximately $15,000, which they said will improve communication among their patrols. And University and community officials stressed that the controversy over Holmes' reassignment has long since subsided. WPP President Larry Bell added that Holmes serves as the Town Watch Network's secretary and remains "involved" with the organization. Marty Cabry, the network president and a Clark Park West Town Watch volunteer, said the relationship between the University and the community groups "has gotten a lot better" recently. "Penn can't solve the problems of West Philadelphia," Cabry said. "They can help, though. They can be part of a partnership." Cabry said the radios will be shared among the partnership's 19 town watch groups, primarily in the city's 18th Police District, which encompasses the University and the area directly west of campus. During Tuesday's ceremony, Executive Vice President John Fry told the crowd of approximately 40 that the University has budgeted $4.5 million this year to community projects such as the nascent University City Special Services District, the UC Brite lighting program, and an organization geared toward street cleaning and graffiti removal. "Penn is very, very committed to economic development in West Philadelphia," Fry said. "The neighborhood has to be clean and it has to be safe, and I think all our initial efforts have to be focused on this." And City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, whose district includes Penn's campus and the surrounding area, added that she is "always proud" of the volunteer organizations.

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