Meeting addresses Iowa City violence

A recent rise in violence on the southeast side of Iowa City sparked an impromptu gathering of neighbors at a Fairmeadows Park on Saturday.

People said they are concerned juvenile crime is taking over their community.

Concerned neighbors say the crime started out as reports of vandalism and noise complaints, but now police say it has escalated to shootings. Kenya Badgett has lived in the neighborhood for three years now. She said she wants to stay in the community, but things need to change.

"I've considered moving away," she said, "but I think that is the easy way out."

Linda Moss hasn't thought about leaving the neighborhood, but she says the area is gradually deteriorating.

"You drive down your street to get to your house and you can't get through, because the street is blocked by kids and they won't move," she said.

Police Chief Sam Hargadine said police are patrolling on the ground as much as possible, but they need the community's help. "We can't be down on every street 24 hours a day," he said. "That's why our neighborhood needs to come together."

Police and city council members listened as neighbors talked about ways to take back their community, such as setting a curfew.

"The curfew will keep juveniles off the street late at night because that's one of the challenges they are seeing in this neighborhood," said Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey.

But neighbors say it's not the only challenge. While they like the idea of a curfew, they don't think it will get rid of guns.

"Guns - I don't think so," said meeting organizer and neighbor Ray Davies. "People don't know how to handle guns."

The next step for the community is Tuesday night's city council meeting. Council members at the discussion Saturday said they plan to discuss the possibility of a curfew in the neighborhood, and the public is invited to comment.

Even though neighbors didn't find one clear solution, most agreed talking about the issue is one step toward a safer community.

-- Jillian Petrus, KCRG-TV9