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"I asked my eleven family members who live in the area, plus many (of my) students who live in the area. I have had... mixed results. Three of my family members didn't even know a gunshot location system was there... The rest of them did know that it was there. They did not believe it was the Qilly thing that was a deterrent to gunfire in the neighborhood where I grew up. "But they felt it did make a difference, and I feel that after listening to them, and after listening to students who also live in the area... that this is just one of the tools in the arsenal of tools to prevent continuing gunshots and gunfire in that location. I think it is a beginning, but I think the community itself must take responsibility to, in fact, continue reporting. I realize that many of you live in fear. If you pick up that telephone and call into the Police Department someone is going to finger your house and it's going to be full of bullet holes. I have a nephew that has already been shot because of that. It is a very difficult situation. "I also think that individuals of Latino Focus, especially, need to get the word out, need to start passing out pamphlets daily, if they need to. There are many people ITom different cultures in our world that believe celebration includes firing guns into the air. All cultures... must be made aware of the fact that this has some very serious consequences in our community and our country. .. That is an educational process that I think needs to go on. As a Council Member I would be willing to support those kinds of educational processes. I do believe this is a step in the right direction. .. It will take some of the fear away ITom my own relatives... who have complained to me bitterly about it (gunfire) for years. This along with many other tools that can be utilized by the community, will in fact, affect the amount of gunfire in our neighborhoods." Councilman Ruskin said, "I seconded the motion, and will vote in support of it. I believe that each community has its particular needs, and the job of the Council is to meet the needs of each community and of the City as a whole. In the neighborhood of the people who come in tonight, violence and the affect of gangs, has been something that they have had to deal with. This is a very important situation to me. "I think that we need to do everything possible to eliminate violence and fight the affect of criminal gangs. And I do not want to do anything to dismantle any part of the offensive or defensive strategy that is being used to fight violence and fight gangs. I believe that the Gunfire Locator System is working. It has a deterrent effect and that deterrent effect is one of many offensive and defensive tactics that we need to use to make this neighborhood and every neighborhood in the City safe. "I would like to speak regarding the increase in calls... I don't believe the increase that might have resulted ITom the Gunfire Locator System shows that the System is not REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 55 MARCH 17, 1997 MINUTES Page No. 204 PAGE 10