SETTING RECORD STRAIGHT ON PHOENIX BLOCK WATCH'S BOARD
As the president of Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board Inc., I wish to offer clarification
of the purpose and activities of this non-profit corporation. Recent articles have
revealed an apparent confusion regarding the Advisory Board.
The objectives of Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board Inc. are:
--> To establish prevention-oriented neighborhood and business Block Watch organizations to reduce the level of crime in our neighborhoods.
--> To inform and educate the community on crime-related issues.
--> To act as a community-based source of information, material and support for the development, coordination and education of community Block Watch associations.
As a non-profit corporation, the Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board has stated that no substantial part of its activities shall consist of the publication or dissemination of materials with the purpose of attempting to influence legislation. The board has remained faithful to the objectives and to its non-partisan statement.
The Block Watch Advisory Board consists of unpaid volunteers dedicated to improving the quality of life in Phoenix. We strongly believe that the solutions to the crime problem of our city can be found in our neighborhoods.
By creating partnerships between neighbors, between neighborhoods and between neighborhood businesses and government resources, solutions can be mutually explored, discovered and implemented.
There is an excitement among Advisory Board members and partner organizations that this message will result in a groundswell of crime-prevention awareness that will significantly improve the safety of the citizenry.
The Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board is composed of people who have differing opinions. In fact, the membership of the board comprises citizens who were very vocal in both their support and opposition to a recent proposition in a city election.
The labels that were placed upon advisory board members in the article were very unfair and inaccurate. The actions of board members as private citizens were mistakenly used to paint the entire board.
Advisory Board members know that we can make a difference. In the words of Robert F. Kennedy: ''Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build up a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.''
The Phoenix Block Watch Advisory Board is enlisting the energy and
daring of the million citizens of our city who want to sweep down the walls of crime.
- Richard D. Fox
Phoenix
Type of story: LETTER