The leader of a church in Hartford, Connecticut, has pushed for the formation of an armed citizen patrol to police the streets.
Archbishop Dexter Burke called for armed citizen patrols after Garden Street saw a spate of gun-related crimes, including a double homicide near his church in February.
Cornell Lewis, a local activist, spearheaded the effort and launched the ‘Minister Cornell Lewis’ Self Defense Brigade. ‘
Archbishop Burke’s solution to local violence has drawn criticism from Hartford’s mayor, Arunan Arulampalam.
Mayor Arulampalam, a Democrat, said: ‘Adding more guns in the midst of trauma, in the midst of pain in our community, is just going to lead to more deaths.’
Cornel Lewis (pictured) heeded Archbishop Burke’s call and founded ‘Minister Cornel Lewis’ Self Defense Brigade’
Archbishop Burke (pictured) became disillusioned with the city’s lack of action when it came to violence and called for the formation of citizen armed patrols
In Connecticut, open carry is illegal, so all patrol members must keep their weapons concealed
The patrol, which is also tasked with picking up litter in the local community, has also drawn condemnation from other local leaders.
The Reverend Henry Brown, speaking on behalf of Mother’s United Against Violence, told NBC: ‘We do not support any person patrolling the streets. We are about finding solutions and peace.’
He added: ‘We don’t need more guns.’
For Archbishop Burke, the armed patrol was something of a last resort, a decision he made after growing tired of seeing his community in the throes of violence.
He was irritated by the lack of action, the repetitive prayer vigils playing themselves over and over, nothing ever leading to change or progress.
“Such a practice has grown old,” Burke wrote. He called it a ‘strategy to appease communities of color’.
The double homicide in February happened just blocks from his church, The Walk in the Light Church of God, and it convinced him that an armed patrol was necessary.
The Archbishop’s Burke solution to local violence has drawn pushback from other local leaders, including Hartford’s mayor
Some residents approved of the patrol’s presence, calling their deployment “appropriate”
The patrols also pick up litter in the local area
For Archbishop Burke, the armed patrol was something of a last resort, a decision he made after growing tired of seeing his community in the throes of violence
Burke announced: ‘We will bring an armed security guard who will walk the street with individuals, help them to the bus stop. Help them to the grocery store and patrol the area.
He assured members of the community that members of the patrol ‘will have licensed, concealed weapons, (and will) help fight crime.
Hartford residents have shown a mixed reaction to Burke’s plan.
Some have echoed the mayor’s and Reverend Brown’s concerns, saying things like: ‘The more guns you put out, the more violence you’re going to get.’
While other residents have proved more receptive: ‘I think it’s appropriate.’
Cornell Lewis’ patrol set their inaugural shift on Saturday in Hartford’s North End.
They picked up trash and appeared to comply with the state’s firearms laws, which prohibit open carry.
Lewis has said his patrol will patrol the streets a few times a week and will also patrol at night.
“It’s not just a one-time thing,” he said.
The leader of the patrol also sought to refute claims that they were involved in some form of vigilante justice. Pastor Brown, of Mother’s United Against Violence, had previously even said: ‘This is not a vigilante era. This is not the wild, wild west.’
On Saturday, Lewis said: ‘We are not awake. We are a group of people who are disciplined and trained. We go to the shooting range.
‘The people on Garden Street came to us and asked us for help.’