Pubdate: Fri, 19 Jul 2002
Source: Morning Call (PA)
Copyright: 2002 The Morning Call Inc.
Contact:  http://www.mcall.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/275
Author: Marisa Maldonado

LEADERS COLLABORATE AT SUMMIT IN WAR AGAINST DRUGS

Steering Committee Will Consolidate Ideas Raised At Meeting.

Neighborhood groups could better fight Allentown's drug problem if they 
communicated with each other, said Trisha Corradini, community organizer 
for St. Luke's Neighborhood Center on Seventh Street.

For two days, that's just what they did. As part of the federal Drug 
Enforcement Administration's summit in Allentown, 180 community leaders 
divided into focus groups to discuss problems caused by drugs and possible 
solutions.

"By working with others from other neighborhood groups, we helped each 
others' minds," Corradini said.

The summit, held at Sacred Heart Hospital on Wednesday and Thursday, was 
part of a new initiative to address drug-related issues and solutions. 
Allentown is one of three cities in the DEA's pilot program, Integrated 
Drug Enforcement Assistance.

Participants said the summit helped them see that they had similar problems 
to deal with in fighting drugs.

"The whole drug issue increases the crime rate and puts a pallor on the 
quality of life," said Linda Anthony, who represented PPL Electric 
Utilities. "We need a lot more education and open communication about it."

Most of the groups found similar problems that need to be addressed, DEA 
official Frank Pepper said. "Everyone's seeing the same thing, and that 
brings more to the table," he said.

Even existing methods have their barriers, summit participants said. For 
example, many inner-city residents are afraid of reporting problems to 
police, even anonymously.

"People are scared if they complain, a gang member will retaliate and hurt 
them," Corradini said.

For the next year, DEA officials will work with Allentown community 
members. "Hopefully people will see results before the year's up," Pepper 
said. "But it's going to take time."

The first step will be to form a committee to consolidate the ideas raised 
in the summit. The steering committee of 15 to 20 people should be in place 
within 45 days, Pepper said.

"We need a lot of collaboration to make this happen," Anthony said.
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