NEW IBERIA — In Iberia Parish, city and parish officials continue to work on bringing gun violence to an end. On Monday, dozens of people gathered during a town hall meeting to discuss issues and possible solutions.
A major concern throughout the crowd tonight was the lack of community policing.
"Get police officers to know who is there so they can help solve the crimes," One member said
"If y'all get out, walk around the residence, mingle with people, they might do something," another member from the audience said.
"When I was young growing up, this building used to be full of young people. playing sports, interacting with adults, playing board games, the whole nine yards. this is non existent," Pastor Donald Wright said.
Wright was one of many who say they are fed up with the violence on New Iberia streets. He lived away for more than 20 years and says it saddened him to come home to fatal shootings in his community.
"We need an answer or solution in place. I like what someone else said, we need sub-stations, cameras set up in those areas that can alert officers to come during those specific times," Wright said.
On the panel for the the town hall were Police Chief Todd D'Albor, Sheriff Tommy Romero and Mayor Freddie Decourt. D'Albor says his department is doing everything they can.
"If some one is bent on taking another human life, we can't prevent that," He said.
D'Albor went on to say it's up to the community to come together to end violence, which Sheriff Romero echoed.
"It starts at home," said Romero
It was Mayor Decourt who brought up a program called One block at a time.
"You have to work on each others houses, it's what they're doing in Little Brooklyn, its amazing. people are coming together, working on each others houses, they're becoming a community again," Decourt explained.
The mayor also mentioned The Boys and Girls Club possibly coming to the city.
No definite solution was put into place, but those in the audience say ending violence isn't one persons problem, it takes everyone.
"We want to be able to say we are doing our part, we will do our part, but we want to be able to see more from you guys," Wright said.
