ST. LOUIS — St. Louis Police Chief Robert Tracy met with area church pastors at the Urban League to answer questions and see how they can work together on Monday.
These churches already do a lot for the neighborhoods but the Urban League says they want to put even more resources into them so that support is just a block away and not all the way downtown.
A big group of St. Louis area pastors and church leaders hopes to ‘take back the city’ by working with the Urban League to flood neighborhoods with resources like job training and case management programs.
“Everything from mental health services, dental services, assistance with outstanding warrants. We've got to make the church a focal point and a resource hub in our more challenged neighborhoods,” Urban League Vice President of Public Safety James Clark said.
5 On Your Side’s Laura Barczewski asked Clark, “Do you think that this will really help with a lot of the teen crime that we're seeing?”
He responded, “Yes absolutely. We want to be able to outfit the neighborhood church so that as mothers see their sons or daughters getting a little wayward, we are working to have the resources within walking distance. Walk your son or your daughter to the neighborhood church.”
Tracy said he wants to be part of community engagement efforts and has already started working with the juvenile detention center to reevaluate the system.
“Let’s find out what’s going on with these kids. Rather than releasing them right away, let’s talk to the parents and also talk to the kids and see if there are things we can do to help so they don’t go out and re-offend. I want to protect them as well,” Tracy said.
Tracy said he hopes to open up more access to diversion and rehabilitation programs to better help young offenders.
“Sometimes kids get in the system and that’s probably the worst thing that can happen. What happens is the propensity goes up exponentially of that person reoffending if they’re in the system,” Tracy said.
The Urban League says on May 18 they hope to re-energize a Saturday program at St. Louis area churches called Grill to Glory, which is a cookout where they hope to set up tables and let more people know about some of the new resources that are closer and available to them.
To watch 5 On Your Side broadcasts or reports 24/7, 5 On Your Side is always streaming on 5+. Download for free on Roku or Amazon Fire TV.
5 On Your Side news app