At the monthly Police Liaison Committee meeting last week, members of the LGBT community and police representatives discussed crime trends in the Gayborhood as well as specific offenses against LGBT individuals.
The July 15 meeting marked the first for a new member, attorney Robert Tuerk, and the second for new police LGBT liaison Deputy Commissioner Stephen Johnson.
Franny Price, chair of the committee, said Johnson, who was introduced by former liaison Chief Inspector James Tiano at last month’s meeting, has transitioned well into the position.
“He was very respectful, commented and was involved,” she said. “I think he was a great choice to replace Tiano. He’s very aware of what’s going on.”
Committee vice president Rick Lombardo agreed.
“He’s right there with us. He engaged us, threw out ideas and I think he’s going to be a huge help,” he said.
The committee members discussed several individual cases, such as a recent early-morning robbery at 13th and Spruce streets.
Sixth District Sgt. LaRose showed surveillance video of the incident, in which the suspect approached two men who were walking along 13th Street and grabbed one man’s wallet from his pocket. The pair pursued the suspect and got the wallet back, although the perpetrator got away.
The suspect, a white or Hispanic male, was unfamiliar to the committee members, and police are working on getting still shots of the video to display on posters throughout the neighborhood.
Lombardo also briefed the committee on several cases of suspects who’d been arrested in the Gayborhood for crimes such as burglary, assault and robbery.
Members discussed attending upcoming hearings for the suspects to demonstrate community support for the victims, as well as to communicate the impact of pervasive quality-of-life crimes on the neighborhood to a sentencing judge.
“[Sixth District] Capt. [Brian] Korn really emphasized that we go to these sentencing hearings so that we can present a statement on behalf of the community,” Lombardo said. “And that statement can help these people to receive a stiffer sentence or at least a decent sentence.”
To help committee members better track cases impacting the Gayborhood, LaRose agreed to pass along copies of “the 48,” or the initial incident report, which details the offense, especially in cases in which an assault occurred.
“If you have the 48, it’s a lot easier to keep track of what’s going on and to follow up on it, so that’ll definitely help,” Lombardo said.
The committee is also planning to continue expanding its influence beyond the boundaries of the Gayborhood.
Next month’s meeting will consist of a tour of the growing LGBT community in the East Passyunk area, which Price said will give the committee and the neighborhood’s residents the chance to become better acquainted.
“I think it’s really important that not only the police are aware that gay people are everywhere, in all parts of the city, but it’s also important that our community knows how accessible we are if they ever need anything,” Price said.
The committee has previously taken a tour of the Northern Liberties area and plans to hold future networking meetings at The Attic Youth Center, The LGBT Center at the University of Pennsylvania and in Northeast Philadelphia.
Jen Colletta can be reached at [email protected].