Council: Community policing, jobs to address public safety

Reporter: Corey Lazar
Published:

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Public safety was a huge topic at Monday’s city council meeting following a shooting and attempted abduction.

Council member Johnny Streets said his proposal to increase police presence throughout Fort Myers is almost complete. His plan, called Community and Policing, is intended to keep the city safe.

“The officer or officers who may be assigned to a particular community have to make themselves the police chief and how they want it to be,” Streets said.

Street said he wants to pilot his plans to respond to crime in Harlem Lakes first. He also stressed the importance of officers forming relationships with the community.

“Put the officers closer in touch with the community and being part of a community and not a part from it whether you live there or not,” he said.

Council Member Terolyn Watson also weighed in, suggesting the city consider teen job programs.

“We have a lot of young teenage boys that don’t have nothing to do in the summer,” she said. “We put those job programs in starting at 13 then they will have something to do.”

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