Safe Silver Spring Summit Convenes at Montgomery College

The first Safe Silver Spring Summit was convened on Saturday, May 16, 2009 at the Silver Spring Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College.

The Summit was sponsored by the Presidents’ Council of Silver Spring Civic Associations (Prezco), the Silver Spring Citizens Advisory Board, the Silver Spring Regional Center, and the Office of Councilmember Valerie Ervin.

Other sponsoring organizations included the Montgomery County Police Department (3rd District), Montgomery Count State Attorney’s Office, Northwest Park Oakview Weed and Seed Program, Montgomery County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council, International Corridor C-Safe Program, MD Community Crime Prevention Institute, Downtown Silver Spring, Montgomery County Public Schools Safe and Drug Free Schools, Safe Takoma, Impact Silver Spring, CASA de Maryland, MD Office of Crime Control and Prevention, USDOJ/COPS, Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services, Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator and the Street Outreach Network.

Among the program’s speakers were Montgomery County Councilmember Valerie Ervin, Montgomery County Council President Phil Andrews, Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy and Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett. Other speakers included Lt. Paul Liquorie, Montgomery County Police Department (Third District), and Montgomery College Provost Brad Stewart.




After welcoming remarks and a slide presentation of recent Silver Spring public safety statistics by MCPD’s Lt. Paul Liquorie, the program participants broke out into six working groups to discuss key issues and to propose solutions for public safety in Silver Spring.

The workshop topics were: 1. Making Safe and Civil Public Spaces/ Central Business District (CBD) of Silver Spring; 2. Gangs and Pack Robberies; 3. Youth: Schools, Truants, and Kids Hanging Out; 4. Policing, Security, Resources and Communication; 5. Por qué y cómo iniciar un programa de vigilancia comunitaria en el vecindario (Why and How to Start a Neighborhood Watch); and 6. Residential Neighborhoods.

The Prezco neighborhoods include: East Silver Spring, Indian Spring, Linden, North Hills of Sligo Creek, North Woodside/Montgomery Hills, Park Hills, Seven Oaks-Evanswood, Sligo Branview, South Silver Spring, Woodside, Woodside Forest, and Woodside Park.




See more pictures of the Safe Silver Spring Summit at http://www.flickr.com/photos/alanbowser/sets/72157618368464950/