>> ANOTHER DIFFICULT NIGHT OF VIOLENCE FOR THE CITY OF SYRACUSE AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, A SHOOTING ON THE NEAR WEST SIDE HAS NOW LEFT NINE PEOPLE INJURED ONE IN CRITICAL CONDITION.

CONDITION.

>> SO NOW I'M RUNNING AND AS I'M RUNNING, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME IS ANOTHER SHOOTER COMING THIS WAY.

SO NOW I'M IN THE CENTER OF LIKE I STATED, A BATTLEFIELD.

MY FRIENDS GRABBED ME, THREW ME TO THE GROUND AND I REMEMBER ONE OF MY FRIENDS HOVERING HIS BODY OVER ME BECAUSE I KEPT TRYING TO GET UP.

BECAUSE ALL I COULD THINK OF IS WHERE IS MY SISTER?

WHERE IS MY COUSIN.

WHERE IS MY FRIEND.

I'M TRYING TO PUSH UP AND HE IS LIKE JUST LAY DOWN, LAY DOWN AND I HEAR EVERYONE SCREAMING, GET DOWN.

GET DOWN!

SO I WAS ABLE TO SQUEEZE OUT.

I GET UP, TRY TO WALK AGAIN.

GUNSHOTS AGAIN.

WHAT I SEEN WAS SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MY LIFE, NEVER WANTED TO SEE.

I SEEN A YOUNG MAN SHOT IN HIS LEG, SCREAMING FOR HELP.

I SEEN A YOUNG WOMAN, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF SHE WAS SHOT OR WHAT, SHE WAS JUST LAYING THERE, BLOOD COMING OUT OF HER FACE.

SHE WAS SCARED.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

THEN I SEEN AN UNRESPONSIVE YOUNG MAN.

SO OF COURSE THAT'S WHERE MY ATTENTION WENT.

SO NOW I'M ON THE PHONE WITH 911 TRYING TO DIRECT AN AMBULANCE TO HIM BECAUSE NOW I'VE SURVEYED THE ENTIRE PARK AND I SEE THAT HE IS THE MOST CRITICALLY INJURED SO I RAN AND WHEN I RAN, I SEEN JOE COMI SSI O, THE SERGEANT OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

I RECOGNIZED HIM.

I SAID JOE, I NEED YOUR HELP.

THERE IS A YOUNG MAN OVER THERE THAT'S UNRESPONSIVE.

HE SAID OKAY, HIM AND A CROWD OF INDIVIDUALS RAN OVER AND I SEEN AN AMBULANCE, A PARAMEDIC.

I SAID LISTEN, THIS PERSON, THIS YOUNG MAN IS UNRESPONSIVE.

SHE SAID TAKE ME TO HIM.

WE RAN OVER TO HIM.

AT THAT TIME, THIS IS WHERE COMMUNITY AND THE POLICE WORKED TOGETHER.

AND WHEN I SAID THEY WORKED TOGETHER BECAUSE YOU HAD FAMILY AND FRIENDS SCREAMING BECAUSE THEY SEE THIS YOUNG MAN IS UNRESPONSIVE AND THEY'RE GRABBING HIM AND WANTING TO GET TO HIM AND THE POLICE ARE SAYING LET THE PARAMEDICS DO THEIR JOB.

LET THE PARAMEDICS DO THEIR JOB BUT THEY'RE NOT.

JOE IS LOOKING AT ME AND SAYING I NEED YOUR HELP.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

WE PUSHED-- WE GOT THEM TO PUSH HIM BACK.

ABLE TO GET THE PARAMEDIC IN AND GET HIM ON THE GURNEY AND THEN WE WERE MOVING AND DOING WHAT WE NEEDED TO DO.

LATER ON, I DID FIND OUT WHO THE 17-YEAR-OLD YOUNG MAN WAS.

AND THAT HE, YOU KNOW, WAS CRITICALLY INJURED AND SIX HOURS PRIOR TO HIM BEING CRITICALLY INJURED, HE GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

>> YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BE HERE!

>> POLICE REFORM IS NOT A MOMENT IN TIME.

>> PREFERABLY FOR JUSTICE.

>> ON OUR WORST DAY, THIS IS A NOBLE PROFESSION.

>> ONE HOMICIDE IS TOO MANY IN THIS CITY.

>> PEOPLE ARE RUNNING AND YOU HEAR GUNSHOTS.

>> THERE IS A IN YOU DAY THAT'S COMING IN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE IS.

SYRACUSE POLICE ARE NAMING THEIR 10th SUSPECTED GUN MAN IN THE RIOT DAY SHOOTOUT IN JUNE.

SYRACUSE POLICE HAVE CHARGED NINE SUSPECTS IN THE JUNE 20 SHOOTOUT BY RIVAL GANG MEMBERS AT PERFORMANCE PARK DURING AN ANNUAL PARTY THAT DREW HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ON THE CITY'S WEST SIDE.

17-YEAR-OLD WHO HAD JUST GRADUATED FROM CORCORAN HIGH SCHOOL WAS KILLED.

>> I KNEW THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS KILLED.

I COACHED HIS BROTHERS AND ALL THREE OF HIS BROTHERS IN BASEBALL.

IT WAS TOUGH TO GO TO A FUNERAL OF A KID WHO, YOU KNOW, JUST WALKED ACROSS THE STAGE HOURS BEFORE AND HIS LIFE WAS TAKEN.

>> I DON'T WANT A MOTHER TO GO THROUGH WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.

I WOULDN'T GIVE THIS SENTENCE TO MY WORST ENSOME I.

>> I CAN SAY THIS BECAUSE I KNEW HIS MOM.

I SAW HIS MOM LAST WEEK AND SHE CAME UP TO ME.

SHE WAS INCARCERATED.

SO IMAGINE YOUR 14, 15-YEAR-OLD BROTHERS DON'T HAVE A JOB, DON'T HAVE ANY INCOME, YOU KNOW, YOUR FAMILY IS TRYING TO HELP YOU THE BEST THAT THEY CAN AND YOU KNOW, YOU SURVIVE, YOU KNOW, EIGHT YEARS AND YOU GET YOUR BROTHER TO WALK ACROSS THAT STAGE.

AND YOU ARE A CHILD YOURSELF.

IT'S TOUGH.

>> HOW DID THE DECADES OF SUSPENDING STUDENTS DISPROPORTIONATELY, SUCH THAT WE ARE FINALLY GETTING ABOVE 50% GRADUATION RATES, WHICH MEANS WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OTHER 50%?

THE OTHER 50% OF THOSE STUDENTS?

WHAT WE SEE HAPPENING IS WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, YOU ARE FUNNELED INTO THE DRUG TRADE.

THIS IS A REALITY THAT WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO ADDRESS BECAUSE IT'S EASIER FOR US TO SAY WELL, I WAS POOR AND I DIDN'T CHOOSE THAT SO THEREFORE SHAME ON THEM.

WE HAVE FORCED OUR YOUNG PEOPLE INTO THIS COMMUNITY TOWARDS THOSE DIRECTIONS.

WE HAVE NOT PROVIDED AN OFF RAMP FOR THEM.

>> HOW DO WE FIX THIS?

>> THAT'S THE BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION.

THAT'S THE BILLION-DOLLAR QUESTION.

>> PART OF THE FRUSTRATION THAT I THINK THAT WE SEE WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU ARE NOT GETTING IS BECAUSE YOU ASK US TO DO TOO MUCH.

WE RECENTLY HAD AN ARTICLE IN THE SYRACUSE.COM PAPER THAT TALKED ABOUT, YOU KNOW, OUR PROACTIVE INITIATIVES THAT WE HAVE WITH MARIJUANA ENFORCEMENT AND THEY SAY THAT WE HAVE, WELL, SOME CITIES HAVE USED UP THESE VIOLENT INTERRUPTERS AND WHY HAVEN'T WE TRIED THAT?

YOU NOTICE THEY DID NOT OFFER A CITY THAT IS SUCCESSFULLY DOING THAT.

THEN THEY SAY WELL WE NEED TO INCREASE JOBS, HOUSING AND IMPROVE OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WE AGREE.

WE JUST DON'T THINK THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IT.

TAKE THOSE THINGS SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND THIS ENWE SAY WELL IF WE IMPROVE AND INCREASE A GREEN SPACE, THEN WE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO HAVE THEIR GUNS.

LET'S DO FACIAL INTERPRETATION AT THIS TIME.

YOU KNOW HOW SILLY THAT SOUNDS?

>> KIDS ARE HURTING.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR A SENSE OF BELONGING.

THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THEM POTENTIALLY AND WHEN YOU, YOU KNOW, IN A GABBING, THAT'S WHAT THEY TRY TO PROVIDE, FAT FAMILY ORIENTED TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT.

BUT ONCE YOU GET IN THERE, THERE IS OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ASKED OF YOU.

AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE PEOPLE ADVOCATING FOR YOU OR STANDING UP FOR YOU, IF THEY HEAR THAT SOMEONE IS TRYING TO RECRUIT YOU, IT'S TOUGH.

>> WITH THE NEW RAISE THE AGE POLICY, IT HAS ENABLED OLDER MEMBERS TO GET A LARGER TARGET GROUP, TO GET THEM DRUGS AND RUN THE DRUGS AND USE THEM AS TOOLS.

>> SO IF I HAVE YOU CARRY THIS GUN, IF I HAVE YOU CARRY THIS DOPE OR SELL DRUGS, YOU KNOW, FOR YOU DOING THIS, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU SOME MONEY.

AND BEING A YOUNG KID WITH NO MONEY IN THEIR POCKET, WHO DOESN'T LIKE MONEY IN THEIR POCKET.

>> I WAS THE WORST.

I WAS THE WORST IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

GOT KICKED OUT ALL THE TIME.

SUSPENDED.

ISS ALMOST WENT TO BEARD ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL.

MY BROTHERS, THEY'RE INCARCERATED.

MY BROTHER IS DOING 37 YEARS IN PRISON FOR SHOOTING HIS GIRLFRIEND AND HER MOTHER BECAUSE THEY SPENT HIS DRUG MONEY.

MY BROTHER GOT SHOT 47 TIMES IN FLORIDA TRYING TO ROB A BANK.

MY MOTHER DIED WHEN I WAS 15.

NEVER MET MY FATHER.

BUT MY TEACHERS, MY COACHES, MY FRIENDS, THEY MADE SURE THAT I STAYED ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

THAT'S WHY I'M HERE AND I WANT TO SHOW THESE KIDS THAT HEY, I GREW UP THE SAME WAY.

TOUGH, NO LIGHTS, DIDN'T HAVE ANYWHERE TO GO.

BUT MY FRIENDS STEPPED UP AND THE PEOPLE WHO DIDN'T HAVE TO STEPPED UP FOR ME.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR YOU.

>> HE SERVED PREVIOUSLY AS A DEPUTY COMMISSIONER IN THE PARKS DEPARTMENT.

HE IS A NATIVE SON OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE BUT SPECIFICALLY WHEN THAT CONVERSATION CAME AROUND, SAID WE NEED TO TARGET SOMEONE WHO WILL REALLY LOOK AT THIS AND GET THAT MOVING AND SO WHEN I THOUGHT ABOUT IT, I WAS LIKE, JIMMY SOMETHING LIKE THIS WOULD IT INTEREST YOU?

HE SAID TELL ME MORE ABOUT IT.

CHIEF WAS ALREADY THERE.

YEAH, LET'S MAKE IT HAPPEN.

SHOCKING STATISTIC FROM THE INNER CITY.

THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE WALKING AROUND THE STIRPE WITH POWERFUL WEAPONS.

WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE AND WHERE THEY HANG OUT.

WE EVEN KNOW WHERE THEY GOT THE WEAPONS.

RIGHT HERE AT THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE WHERE EVERY DAY KIDS ARE ARMED WITH THE SKILLS, THE GOALS, THE CONFIDENCE THEY NEED FOR A LIFETIME OF ACHIEVEMENT.

PLEASE HELP ARM A KID FOR LIFE.

POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

GO WHERE OTHERS DON'T.

>> THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE IS A PROGRAM THAT IS PUT IN PLACE TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE POLICE IN THE COMMUNITY THROUGH MENTORSHIP, THROUGH THE ARTS, THROUGH TRAININGS.

IT'S AN ORGANIZATION AND PROGRAM THAT HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE THE 1900s AND IT'S AN EFFECTIVE TOOL THAT GETS KIDS AND OFFICERS IN A SPACE WHERE THEY CAN BUILD POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS.

>> SPORTS BUILDS CHARACTER AND IT BUILDS FRIENDSHIPS.

I REMEMBER AS A KID-- I LOVED MY DAD.

ANY TIME I SPENT WITH MY DAD WAS PRECIOUS BECAUSE HE WORKED TWO JOBS.

HE HAD TO, TO KEEP BREAD ON THE TABLE.

AND I DEVELOPED CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS WITH MY BASEBALL AND BASKETBALL COACHES.

AND THAT WAS WITHIN THE POLICE ATHLETIC LEAGUE.

THEY WERE ALL COPS AND THEY WERE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE KNEW THEM.

>> I THINK THE FACT THAT THE PAL PROGRAM IS A NATIONAL PROGRAM AND WE ARE OPENING OUR OWN INDIVIDUAL CHAPTER, GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM MANY VICTORIES THAT THIS ORGANIZATION HAS HAD NATIONALLY AND TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THOSE KINDS OF MOMENTS IN OUR CITY.

>> WHAT LED TO THE RICO SWEEPS?

>> THE DENIAL BY SOME PREVIOUS CHEAPS THAT THERE WAS A GANG PROBLEM.

I REMEMBER SOME CHIEFS PUBLIC WILL I SAYING WE DON'T HAVE A GANG PROBLEM IN SYRACUSE.

AND I REMEMBER LOOKING AT THAT AND SCED OH MY GOD, THIS IS OUT OF CONTROL.

>> THE RACKETEERING INFLUENCED AND CORRUPT ORGANIZATIONS LAW KNOWN BY THE ACRONYM RICO WAS WRITTEN IN 170 THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE WAY THE MAFIA WAS OPERATING IN THOSE DAYS.

>> THE U.S.

ATTORNEY AT THE TIME HAPPENED TO BE MY FORMER CHIEF ASSISTANT, SO OUR RELATIONSHIP WAS ROCK SOLID.

AND IT WAS JUST A DISCUSSION THAT HE AND I HAD.

HAD IT BEEN DONE BEFORE?

THE UNITED STATES?

IT HASN'T.

NOW IT'S FAIRLY COMMON TO USE.

WE HAD THE PERFECT COMBINATION OF GLEN IS THE U.S.

ATTORNEY AN AGGRESSIVE PROSECUTE PROSECUTOR JOHN KATKO WHO IS NOW A CONGRESSMAN AND MYSELF.

AND WE FOCUSED ON THE VIOLENCE AS OPPOSED TO THE DRUGS.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THE TWO ARE SYNONYMOUS.

DRUG TRAFFICKING IS A VIOLENT BUSINESS.

SO GLEN AND I FOCUSED ON THE HARD CORE GUN CARRYING, I CALL THEM NARCO TERRORISTS.

THEY WEREN'T ADDICTS.

THEY WERE INTERESTED IN SPREADING THE POISON TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS THEY COULD BUT WERE COMPLETELY DOMINATING TAKING OVER AND TERRORIZES NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> THE GANGS WERE EACH A SEPARATE ENTITY.

THEY CONTROL A TERRITORY AND ENGAGE IN VIOLENT CONDUCT AND DRUG DEALING SO IT WAS A PATTERN OF RACKETEERING AND MAKING A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF MONEY AND INVOLVED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF VIOLENCE.

I REALIZED THERE WAS ONE WAY TO EXCISE A GANG ALL AT ONCE INSTEAD OF PIECE BY PIECE AND THAT'S WHY WE DID IT THAT WAY.

>> THIS IS NOT AN EFFORT TO GET, YOU KNOW, NON-VIOLENT OFFENDERS OFF THE STREETS OF THE CITY OF SYRACUSE.

THIS IS AN EFFORT TO TAKE NEIGHBORHOODS BACK.

>> IT WAS BASICALLY, IF YOU WERE IN GANG A AND YOU WENT INTO GANG B'S NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE WOULD BE SHOTS FIRED.

PERIOD.

DIDN'T CARE WHO WAS AROUND.

DIDN'T CARE WHAT WAS IN THE WAY.

THE DRUG USE IN THOSE AREAS WAS SO ACUTE THAT IT BECAME VERY LUCRATIVE TO CONTROL THE DRUG TRADE.

WHOEVER CONTROLLED THE DRUG TRADE IN A CERTAIN AREA MADE A LOT OF MONEY AND THAT'S WHAT THEY DID AND THAT'S WHY THE TERRITORIES BECAME SO IMPORTANT.

>> ONE DAY YOU SHOW UP FOR SCHOOL AND 30 OF YOUR CLASSMATES ARE MISSING.

IT'S OVERREACHING.

WE ARE OFTEN THE CITY OF SYRACUSE AN EXAMPLE OF BEAK THE FIRST TO DO SOMETHING.

NOT ALWAYS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

THIS DEVASTATED A NEIGHBORHOOD.

TOOK FATHERS AWAY FROM CHILDREN, SONS AWAY FROM THEIR MOTHERS.

>> THE FIRST GANG CASE WE DID, VIOLENT CRIME IN GENERAL AND MURDERS IN PARTICULAR, DROPPED 40% IN THE NEXT FOLLOWING YEAR AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THE ARTICLE.

THERE WAS A BLUE CAMP GANG AT THE CORNER OF MIDLAND AND A PICTURE OF A MOTHER BEING INTERVIEWED AND SHE SAID I CAN HEAR THE CHURCH BELLS RING INSTEAD OF SHOOTING AND I CAN TAKE MY KID TO THE STORE INSTEAD OF FEELING LIKE I'M TAKING MY LIFE IN MY HANDS.

SO FROM A STATISTICAL AND ANECDOTAL STANDPOINT, THERE IS NO-- >> WE HAD AN IMPACT THAT RECEDED ONCE THE SENTENCES WERE SERVED AND ONCE OTHER PEOPLE CAME IN TO FILL THE VACUUM.

>> WALIEK BETTS.

I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SEVEN YEARS.

MONEY ISN'T THE ROOT OF EVIL.

NOT HAVING IT IS.

WHAT THAT MEANS TO ME IS LIKE YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN PEOPLE WITH MONEY DECIDE TO GO DO EVIL THINGS MORE OR LESS.

PEOPLE WITHOUT IT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN THAT'S WHERE THE IDEA, THE NEGATIVITY FOR THE MOST PART COMES OUT.

IT MAKES PEOPLE DO A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I MEAN YEAH, I DID THINGS BEFORE , YOU KNOW, NOT HAVING MONEY AND SO THAT'S WHY I CAN IDENTIFY WITH THAT.

>> I HAVE BEEN ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF SYRACUSE.

I WENT TO LINCOLN.

I WENT TO CORCORAN, HENNEGER.

JUST GREW UP AROUND HERE, DOING REGULAR THINGS.

PLAYING BASKETBALL HOOP DREAMS AND STARTED GAMBLING AND THEM GOT INTRODUCED TO OTHER THINGS.

SELLING DRUGS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

AND ENDED UP GETTING LOCKED UP FOR THAT I COULDN'T BELIEVE THAT THEY WERE USING THE RICO CHARGE ON SOME YOUNG KIDS FROM THE SOUTH SIDE.

I MEAN BASICALLY THIS WAS A BUNCH OF GUYS, A BUNCH OF YOUNG KIDS THAT HAD A LOT OF MISGUIDED ENERGY, YOU KNOW, AND WE JUST DID MISGUIDED THINGS, YOU KNOW.

WE RAN THE STREETS, GOT INTO TROUBLE.

>> LITERALLY, THERE WERE LITERALLY NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE YOU ASKED PERMISSION TO WALK IN CERTAIN AREAS AT NIGHT WHERE YOU WOULD BE AFRAID TO WEAR CERTAIN COLORS IN YOUR CLOTHING AT NIGHT.

THAT'S NOT A COMMUNITY.

THAT'S NOT A CITY AND THAT'S NOT RIGHT.

YOU KNOW, THE JOY OF-- YOU ONLY GET THE JOY OF GROWING UP ONCE.

AND WHEN I SAY JOY, I'M REFERRING TO PERSONALLY TO MYSELF.

BUT I LOOK AT KIDS TODAY, SOME OF WHOM I'VE PROSECUTED, THERE IS NO JOY IN THEIR LIVES.

THEY NEVER HAD JOY, NEVER UNDERSTOOD WAIT WAS LIKE TO HANG OUT ON A CORNER AND EVERY TIME YOU HEARD A CAR BACKFIRE, EVERYBODY DUCKS FOR COVER.

AND THAT AND THAT ISN'T RIGHT.

>> I WAS SENTENCED TO 17 AND A HALF YEARS IN FEDERAL PRISON.

I ENDED UP SERVING NINE YEARS AND THEN WHEN PRESIDENT PRESIDENT OBAMA DID THE CRACK LAW, IT TOOK ME DOWN TO 10 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS.

>> HOW MUCH MONEY WERE YOU AND OTHERS IN BOOT CAMP EARNING?

>> LIKE LITERALLY NOTHING.

IT WAS ALL OVERSTATED, YOU KNOW BECAUSE IT WAS OVER STATED.

GOING THROUGH IT, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND IT BUT AFTER IT'S OVER YOU LOOK BACK LIKE WOW.

ALL OF THAT FOR THAT.

LIKE, YOU KNOW, IT JUST WAS, LIKE I SAID, IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE.

LIKE I WAS IN ALL THOSE, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE FEDERAL PENITENTIARIES WITH A LOT OF GUYS THAT HAD LIFE SENTENCES.

I KNEW I COULD DO BETTER.

LIKE I REALLY KNEW COULD I DO BETTER: I DIDN'T WANT TO POISON MY COMMUNITY AGAIN.

>> HAVE YOU TALKED TO KATKO SINCE THEN?

>> I'VE SEEN HIM AT THE BOOK BAG GIVEAWAY.

>> TWO FELLAS WALKING UP TO ME AND WHEN THEY'RE WALKING UP TO ME, I'M LIKE OH BOY, LAST TIME I SAW THEM THEY WERE TAKEN OUT OF THE COURTROOM IN HANDCUFFS.

I REMEMBER SAYING GOOD LUCK TO YOU, IT WASN'T PERSONAL.

>> I WAS LIKE DO YOU KNOW WHO WE ARE AND HE REFLECTED ON WHO WE WERE.

>> HE TOOK OUT HIS HAND AND SHOOK MY HAND AND SAID THANK YOU.

I WAS TRYING TO UNDERSTAND WHY.

AND HE SAID WORDS TO THE EFFECT, I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID BUT BASICALLY, I WAS OUT OF CONTROL BACK THEN AND YOU MAY HAVE HELPED ME SAVE MY LIFE.

>> AND THEN HE JUST, YOU KNOW, IT WAS JUST LIKE A MOMENT, LIKE WOW.

AND THEN JUST LIKE ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING MORE OR LESS AND I TOLD HIM I WAS DOING A CLOTHING LINE.

WE TOLD HIM ALL THE GOOD THINGS WE ARE DOING.

>> I'M INCREDIBLY PROUD OF HIS STRENGTH AND REALLY PROUD BECAUSE HE IS NO THE NOT SHY ABOUT TELLING PEOPLE WHAT HE STANDS FOR.

HE MADE IT THROUGH AND HE IS DOING OKAY.

>> MY MESSAGE IS POSITIVITY.

I TELL THEM WHAT IS BEHIND THE WALL, LIKE WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON.

THIS IS NEW FOR THEM TO SEE LIKE SOMEBODY THAT THEY KNOW ACTUALLY LIKE PUSHING FORWARD AND DOING SOMETHING.

I AM JUST TRYING TO GIVE THEM THE REAL AND INSPIRE THEM.

>> THE PROBLEMS THAT WE ARE FACINGS, WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE EASY STUFF.

WE'VE BEEN TO THE MOOB.

THE ONLY THING LEFT, HEAVY LIFTING, RAISING A FAMILY, HEAVY LIFTING.

A CHILD GETTING EDUCATING, COMING OUT OF POVERTY, HEAVY LIFTING.

FINDING A JOB WHEN YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND, HEAVY LIFTING.

PEOPLE RETURNING TO OUR SOCIETY WITH MENTAL ILLNESS OR SUBSTANCE USE ISSUES, HEAVY LIFTING.

STOP COMING TO ME WITH THE EASTER BUNNY MICROWAVE IDEAS AND COME UP WITH SUBSTANTIVE THINGS WHERE THE POLICE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONCE FACING THE FIRING SQUAD.

>> NEIGHBORS IN THE SYRACUSE SCHOOL DISTRICT DEBATING THE ISSUE OF SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, AND THE PEOPLE'S AGENDA ON POLICING.

ONE OF THE GROUP'S DEMANDS DEMANDS REMOVING RSOs THEY WANT MORE SOCIAL WORKERS, COUNSELORS AND SUPPORT STAFF.

>> MY FIRST INTERACTION WITH THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS WAS IN 1990 WHEN I WENT TO FOWLER TO BE AN ADMINISTRATIVE INTERN AND WE HAD A GREAT RESEARCH OFFICER-- RESOURCE OFFICER.

WE HAD A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL, THE STUDENTS, THE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY.

HE WAS A GREAT PERSON TO TALK TO , A PERSON THAT THE STUDENTS FELT COMFORTABLE WITH.

I KNOW THAT THINGS HAVE CHANGED THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.

THAT THERE ARE MORE THINGS GOING ON IN THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THE PRESENCE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS IN THE BUILDINGS AT THAT TIME AND CONTINUING TO DO, HELPS ESTABLISH A GOOD RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOLS, THE STUDENTS, THE POLICE OFFICERS AND THE COMMUNITY.

>> WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT?

THE BIGGER ISSUE BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, IF IT'S A VOLATILE SITUATION, WHERE THE POLICE ARE NEEDED IN THE BUILDING, THEN 911 IS GOING TO BE CALLED AND YOU ARE GOING HAVE OFFICERS WHO ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THESE PARTICULAR STUDENTS OR WITH THESE STUDENTS SITUATIONS COMING TO THE BUILDING AND IT'S GOING TO BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO DO THEIR JOBS PROPERLY.

>> WE ARE NOT PERFECT IN THE SCHOOLS, BUT I WILL TELL YOU THAT WHEN THERE WERE CALLS THIS PAST SUMMER OR LAST SUMMER ASKING FOR THE SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER TO BE REMOVED, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT ROBUST RESPONSE FROM SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS AND PARENTS THAT SAID THAT WE DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT.

AND MANY OF THE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE CALLING FOR IT, I QUESTION WHETHER THEY EVEN HAVE KIDS IN THE SCHOOL.

BUT THE PEOPLE WHO WERE DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THAT DID NOT AGREE WITH THAT ASSESSMENT.

>> AS FAR AS TAKING MONEY AWAY FROM THE PROGRAM, IF IT MEANS GETTING RID OF THE SRO, I DON'T AGREE.

THERE IS A NEED FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT TO BE PRESENT INSIDE OF HIGH SCHOOLS DUE TO THE INCREASE IN SCHOOL SHOOTINGS, DUE TO THE INCREASE IN VIOLENCE INSIDE THE SCHOOLS, DUE TO DIFFERENT ENTITIES COMING TO SCHOOLS AND CREATING CHAOS.

>> I HAVE THOUGHT A LOT ABOUT POLICE OFFICERS IN SCHOOLS AND LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, IF I DON'T THINK THAT I, MYSELF, AM AN EXPERT ON THE SUBJECT, I SEEK OUT THOSE WHO ARE.

I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH SUPERINTENDENT ALICIA AND WITH STUDENTS AND POLICE OFFICERS AND I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, GIVEN THE CONDITIONS OF TODAY'S SOCIETY, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO HOW EASY IT IS FOR PEOPLE TO GET THEIR HANDS ON A GUN, I THINK THAT IT'S A NECESSARY PUBLIC SAFETY MEASURE TO HAVE ARMED POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

NOT TO CREATE A POLICE STATE, BUT SIMPLY TO BE THERE TO PROTECT OUR STUDENTS.

I DO SUPPORT POLICE OFFICERS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

>> I'M ALWAYS WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE IN OPEN DIALOGUE AND HOW CAN WE WORK TOGETHER TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF THE KIDS IN THE DISTRICT AND THE NEEDS THAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY.

>> SYRACUSE POLICE ARE WORKING WITH YOU THE A CONTRACT.

IS THAT AFFECTING MORALE.

>> ALL SIDES BELIEVE THE TENTATIVE DEAL WOULD MAKE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT MORE COMPETITIVE, BUT SOME WORRY THE CITY JUST CAN'T AFFORD IT.

>> OUR APPROACH IN NEGOTIATING THE POLICE CONTRACT WAS TO USE IT AS A MECHANISM TO ADDRESS CHANGES THAT NEED TO BE MADE WITHIN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

>> I HAVE ITEM 8A LOCAL LAW THAT APPROVES THE MONEY FOR THE POLICE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION CONTRACT.

>> AND THE ONE THING THAT WE HEARD MORE THAN ANYTHING, IS THAT PEOPLE WANTED POLICE OFFICERS TO LIVE IN THE CITY.

THEY WANTED THEM TO LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT THEY SERVE.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE AND URGE THAT PEOPLE VOTE NO ON THIS ITEM.

IN THE SIMPLEST TERMS, WE DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE CONTRACT.

>> IS THE CONTRACT WORTH THE INCREASE IN COST?

>> VERY MUCH SO.

I WOULD JUST ASK YOU WHAT IS YOUR SAFETY WORTH.