Jun 4, 2009 9:57 pm US/Eastern
More Police After Crofton Beating Death
Crofton, Md. (WJZ) ―
Operation Action.
Anne Arundel County is cracking down on violence after the beating death of a teenage boy, a death which has galvanized a community.
Mike Hellgren reports the new initiative is supposed to keep residents safe.
Police are making their presence known today with foot patrols and bike patrols.
They are also gathering information on gangs and juvenile delinquents.
The new efforts follow a charged community meeting held on Wednesday night.
Less than a block from the site where a 14-year-old boy was murdered, police have set up shop.
Two large command posts, a very visible presence, part of a crackdown to ease frazzled nerves in a community rocked by violence.
"What happened was an isolaed incident, that it can, and is happening other places, and that incident is not a reflection of what the Crofton community is all about," said Judy Wilson, of the local Chamber of Commerce.
"This neighborhood is justifiably apprehensive,about the incidents of crime, and this presence should allay some of those concerns," said John Leopold, the Anne Arundel County Executive.
Investigators say a group of teens beat Chris Jones, and they are looking into whether they were members of two small gangs.
WJZ has reported in our extensive coverage of the case, Jones' family has said he was bullied by gang members. He even transferred schools before the deadly attack.
When asked whether there is a gang problem in the schools, Anne Arundel County School Superintendent Kevin Maxwell said, "My answer to that would be no, but I will tell you that things evolve and you get new names, and new things that come together and some that dissolve. So you got to be constantly vigilant about it."
The increase in police activity also follows a firebombing in the area that Eyewitness News was first to report.
The teens accused in the beating death live in the neighborhood, and it may have been retaliation.
"Police are investigating that now but we believe that they are connected and so we think that this focus if you will of our resources, at this time in this spot, is well justified," adds Leopold.
Jones' aunt told county leaders last night, the system, failed her.
For many in Crofton it remains to be seen whether the actions being taken now are too little, too late, or welcome signs that something is being done to stop what happened in Crofton from happening again.
The County Executive offered no timetable about how long the increased police presence will stay in the greater Crofton area.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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