Connecticut residents form armed group to defend against violent crime
By: Bryan Llenas
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A predominantly Black neighborhood in Hartford, Connecticut, hoping to fend off violent crime, has turned to an armed group of citizens to patrol their streets by land and by air.
The so-called "Self-Defense Brigade" — made up of about 40 legally armed citizens — are voluntarily patrolling the streets of Hartford's North End wearing body cameras mostly on nights and weekends, according to the group's founder, Cornell Lewis.
When the armed volunteers are not on the streets, the group monitors video feeds from a dozen drones hovering over the neighborhood, and 75 home surveillance cameras in the neighborhood.
"The Democratic machine in Hartford is either unwilling or unable, incapable of doing it, and people are paying their tax dollars, and they're not really getting any kind of service," Lewis told Fox News. "So we want the people to understand, number one, self-defense is not a dirty word."
Hartford's Democratic Mayor Arunan Arulampalam has denounced the group over concerns they will enact vigilante justice.
"Our community has seen so much pain and trauma, and what we need is for those who love this city to do the hard work of healing that pain, not walk around our streets with guns trying to take the law into their own hands," Arulampalam said in a statement to Fox.
Lewis contends the brigade is not made up of vigilantes and are all trained in discipline legal security.
The 40 or so volunteers in Hartford have legal permits to carry concealed weapons and the purpose is self-defense.
"I'm a fourth degree black belt, and I trained everybody in hand-to-hand combat," Lewis said.
The group began patrolling the neighborhood at the behest of Archbishop Dexter Burke of the Walk in the Light Church of God. A shooting in February left two men dead near his church and he had enough.
"I feel that we are really putting a dent on crime," Burke said. "I think that we've exceeded 100% in terms of success."
Burke says having community members invested in the neighborhood patrol combats the anti-snitch culture in Black neighborhoods.
As for concerns that this is nothing more than armed vigilantes, Burke points to the use of cameras.
The body worn cameras and drones, he says, are meant to provide evidence of crimes to be turned over to police, but the cameras also provide protection to the volunteer members of the group.
Both Burke and Lewis say they've heard from residents interested in the patrol services in other neighborhoods in Hartford, as well as in New Haven.
But New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker reportedly says he strongly opposes the idea of armed patrols in his city.
"It's a bad idea, and it's not welcome and there's a number of reasons for that. We need fewer guns on our street, not more," Elicker told WTNH News 8.
4Both Burke and Lewis say they've heard from residents interested in the patrol services in other neighborhoods in Hartford, as well as in New Haven as the city is plagued with violent crime. WTNH News8/YouTube4But New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker reportedly he strongly opposes the idea of armed patrols in his city. WTNH News8/YouTube
But Burke says it's working in their neighborhood and there are no plans to back down.
"Praying alone will never fix it," Burke said. "We can pray all day, but it's just some stuff we need to do."
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I'm betting they are unwilling.
But will the citizens put the blame squarely where it belongs on the Democratic machine, when it comes time to vote.
Hopefully they do.
Unwilling means people have the right to form vigilante squads.
“Unwilling means people have the right to form vigilante squads.”
If and when that becomes acceptable in action and not just a pathetic excuse for rational thought, then that is the day we have truly failed in honoring our birthright.
Frightening words, vic, with unimaginable consequences.
The FBI states that violent crime is at an all-time-low. Far right wingers say otherwise because they sell fear to their ilk.
Interesting how it is right wingers who commit the vast majority of violent crimes.
Show us your stats if not to embarrassing.
Morning Drinker...I just think it is a sad state of affairs that people feel the need they have to do this..
Having to arm oneself in order to feel safe etc really is a sad reflection on society and rather depressing..
The idea of wanting/having to be armed etc is totally foreign to me and I hope it stays that way for us...
But for people who have to deal with these situations I guess there really is limited options...
You have been to Cochise County in Arizona before and know how wide open the desert can be. My house sits literally 6 blocks from the border fence and is a prime operating area for the cartels running illegals and drugs. The majority of people living out in isolated rural areas are usually armed. That considered, there is very little gun crime because the cartels know people are carrying and would rather avoid attention and conflict. The urban and metropolitan areas of Tucson, Phoenix, and Flagstaff is where most major crimes occur.
In the municipalities that are reporting.
And it's one that comes with Democrat policies like this article states.
"Our community has seen so much pain and trauma, and what we need is for those who love this city to do the hard work of healing that pain, not walk around our streets with guns trying to take the law into their own hands,"
"It's a bad idea, and it's not welcome and there's a number of reasons for that. We need fewer guns on our street, not more,"
So those are the responses of dem politicians when the people of the cities in CT feel so abandoned that they feel a need to protect themselves because no one else will. They will do absolutely nothing to actually address the issue.
I'm honestly surprised the Democrats haven't gone after the citizens yet.
Let there be a shooting by one of the protectors that results in the death of a black criminal and they will.
I don't know how they would spin it into a racist agenda. It's my understanding that the people doing these patrols are black as well.
They will quickly be labeled as "Uncle Toms" like Justice Thomas always is.
Keep selling that fear.
You call it fear, I call it reality.
To endorse/allow said groups by elected officials is to admit that they are unable or unwilling to deal with this and are thus part of the problem rather than a solution. That is why I like that my home state of Arizona isa open carry state where no permits are required to carry open or concealed.
Not a bad idea. Sure would make one think twice before starting some shit. You would never be sure if someone was packing or not.
I participated in Neighborhood Watch groups both on and off base in California and South Carolina.
Radios and flashlights only in teams of two. After an initial spate of arrests it knocked night time crimes and mischief down to 10% of previous years. Daytime crime was zero except for some domestic disturbances
The problem is finding those willing to do it and work closely with the police.
Exactly!
“An armed society is a polite society. Manners are good when one may have to back up his acts with his life.” ― Robert A. Heinlein,
Dad always told us he was a "Meat Inspector" for the Air Force in Paris after WW 2 which made sense as he had a degree in Animal Science and was a 1st Lieutenant at the time. Turned out he was responsible for policing the actual French Whores who worked the US base making sure they had the required health papers and regular blood tests. He really wasn't inspecting poultry or beef!
I never met a concealed Arizonan. They love holsters, they love to show you their weapons and accessories.
It's almost comical.
“Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.”
~ Robert A. Heinlein
“It's almost comical.”
If it wasn’t so obviously an example of personal preference trumping everyone and everything in playing their own head games.
Went to a wedding reception in Mesa years ago finding three yahoos strapped and only oh so willing to display it. The three spent a lot of time at the open bar so my wife and I, with our two young sons in tow, gave our thanks for the invite and excused ourselves. The father of the bride actually apologized for how uncomfortable the situation.
For me, the whole idea of wearing concealed is to not make a potential target of myself. When one advertises, they are just inviting trouble.
A lot depends on what area of the country one lives in.
I have carried concealed every day for many years and have never even thought about pulling it even after working for over a decade as a bouncer.
I would no sooner leave the house without my phone, keys. or glasses.
Since I live way out in the sticks, I carry in home as well.
So glad I've never had to pull it much less shoot anyone!
I do, however, pick off the occasional raccoon.
I have as well never had to pull mine out, but I am always ready in case I do. In my case, it is coyotes rather than raccoons.
The coyotes out here aren't nearly as destructive as the racoons.
I shoot the ground around coyotes. I shoot racoons.
Coyotes just remind me too much of dogs.
Morning..ahh!! not the raccoons!!..they look so cute and their faces remind me of bandits..
The closest we have would be our brush tailed possums which I am currently feeding at the moment..
They take the apple out of my hand..they are protected so harm one and you are in deep do do..
"We need fewer guns on our street, not more," Elicker told WTNH News 8."
Translation: Only the criminals should be allowed to have guns, and people should not have the right to defend themselves.
Notice how the idiots who make such idiotic statements have no plan to get the weapons out of the hands of the criminals?
They just don't want weapons in the hands of the working class.
Or convicted felons.
Then they need to do more about that instead of keeping them out of the hands of law abiding citizens.
We finally agree on something.
As long as anybody else on this planet carries a gun; so will I.
Am also a Filipino trained knife fighter so at least two knives.
A badazz, is that what turned my dying mom on for you?
Huh?
Is your memory going fast?
They must not watch the news, violent crime is down.
Certain neighborhoods... not so much.
Still stay away from East St. Louis.
Is that the area down by the river? I was there in the early 70's and it was the pitts. One of those kind of places you only felt safe driving inside a tank. I read somewhere that it was pretty much cleaned up and safer, but times change.
And Durham NC.