INDIANAPOLIS (WTHR) - Several high crime areas on the east side of Indianapolis are about to get faith-based street patrols.
The Ten Point Coalition is expanding its work to the east side to try to help reduce some of the violence. IMPD has deemed several east side areas as hot spots for crime.
“We’re going to focus on youth between the ages of 12 and 24. That’s going to be our target and it’s going to be how do we direct their lives and give them hope rather than many of them having a lot of hopelessness and not seeing a brighter future, said Ten Point leader Rev. Charles Harrison.
The Ten Point Coalition has recruited ex-offenders to be part of the patrols. Among them is Sam Brown, who wants to help fight crime.
"I am willing to get out there and walk in the community," said Brown.
You will usually catch Brown putting on his chef's coat to not only prepare dinner in mass quantities, but he also makes executive decisions as head chef for Wheeler Mission in both Indianapolis and Bloomington.
Brown oversees feeding hundreds of people who are part of the homeless community and the needy in central Indiana. But soon, Brown will be out on the street himself as a Ten Point Coalition worker.
"Getting a little frustrated with all the crime that's going on in our community," Brown said.
The Ten Point Coalition credits their street patrols for the lower crime in Butler Tarkington and Crown Hill Areas. The faith-based group spends hours walking in neighborhoods known as hot spots.
Possibly their best recruits are the ex-offenders like Brown who are known as "OGs," or "original gangsters." The OGs strongly believe they can relate best to trouble makers in HOT SPOT neighborhoods.
"I've been incarcerated. I have had addictions to several illegal substances and I know what it's like to live on the street," Brown said.
But now he will be on the street hoping to help would be criminals by doing more than just talking to them.
"Sometimes just being that person there to listen," said Brown. "We have to remind them that there is a better way than the choices that they are making."
Ten Point Coalition workers receive an hourly stipend for their participation. Right now, the faith-based group is recruiting people to help them try to make a difference in the areas plagued by violent crime.
"The real challenge is we are going to have to form relationships. This has been an area where traditionally you’ve had a lot of crime, it has been one of the areas that has been a leading area for homicides, one of the six "hotspot areas" so we’re going to have to start building relationships. That’s going to be the key," Harrison said.