Poverty Industry & BMHA Security . . . Vs Citizen Rights
FYI
City Hall WatchMar25
Ms. Sandra Mobley Terry, Chair March 25, 2002
Commission on Citizen Rights
Lighthouse Residence, 244 Hempstead Ave. (BMHA Kenfield Projects)
Buffalo, NY 14215
Dear Ms. Mobley Terry: RE: Public Safety Vs 'BANNING'
It was reassuring to see BMHA tenants able to speak openly about longtime concerns regarding BMHA's security force at the Commission's public hearing at Kenfield last Thursday. Publicly documenting concerns long minimized by BMHA's 'federal plantation' structure is a constructive step.
However, what was not addressed, & who did not attend, is of concern. BMHA Executive West noted that BMHA is one of only 11 housing authorities nationally having its own "police force". That is a serious problem. Most well-run housing complexes (public & 'private'housing) have 'walking security' comprised of "peace officers" (not cops) who often live in the complex, making them familiar with residents & dependent on residents for authority & mutual respect. Their mission is to PREVENT TROUBLE & PROMOTE PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION. BMHA's 60+ 'police' force, in contrast, has long been used as a 'back door' (skirting integration guidelines) to Buffalo's Police Department. It is used by predominantly white, politically-connected men with 'cow-boy' mindsets, who neither care about public housing, nor have sensitivity to effectively patrol its developments.
A solution is to abolish BMHA's "federal plantation police" & replace it with walking security or a 'peace officer' model that works well elsewhere, at massively less cost. Troublingly, those not at the hearing impeded talk about such needed reform. BMHA Tenant-elected Commissioner (for 22 yr.) & chair of the Public Safety Committee Mary Rogers was absent (Rogers is also deeply criticized for taking-over & covering-up mismanagement of RCC "Tenant Management" based at Kenfield). Thomas Higgins, Chair of the Police Oversight Committee of the Citizen Rights Commission was also absent. BMHA Chair Sherrill Colston & 3 other Masiello-appointed BMHA Commissioners pd. $25- $50 / hr in stipend & health insurance; one of 5 vacant since last Sept.) were absent, as was BMHA "Director of Public Safety" Ron Christopher. Only Commissioner Aquil Qadir, who called for the hearing, attended.
Having observed repeatedly-investigated BMHA over a dozen years, I have a wealth of knowledge about public housing. It is one of Buffalo's most serious, seldom discussed, social justice problems. In a deeply impov-erished city, BMHA is more about developer-profits & patronage-jobs than "safe affordable housing for the poor".
Yet I could not comfortably testify at the hearing about needed "public safety" reform at BMHA because the Commission has arbitrarily suspended my 'citizen rights' for 90 days for criticizing the Commissions failure to fulfill its Charter-mandate to monitor police misconduct. Meanwhile, the Buffalo News editorialized Friday (Mar. 22): "Weeding out the bad cops: If the trial showed one thing it was that the Buffalo Police Dept. has some work to do . . ." But I, having experienced police corruption up close, have been smeared as 'dangerous' & 'crazy' (& had my 1st Amendment rights trampled) for criticizing Commission failure to be a sort of mandated "Civilian Review".
If there is not definitive action to publicly right this wrong by the Commission's next meeting on April 4 (7 wks. after my capricious "banning"), I will have no choice but to pursue litigation.
Urgently;
Richard Kern, MSW
cc: M. Kuzma, Esq.; NYCLU; M. Risman, Esq.; A. Qadir; B. Meyer (B. News)
354 Baynes St. Buffalo, NY 14213 (716) 882-2388 email: Kernwatch@AOL.com
website: www.Kernwatch.com