The American Life For Some Of Us

I recently heard this broadcast on WCBU here in Peoria. 

Some of these officers in Miami Gardens were jaded and some were simply bad cops. In a town with a population of 110,000 had 99.980 stops in 5 years. Miami had 3,753 stops in the same 5 year period of time. This was a Black Police Chief as well. A 5 and 7 year old were stopped for being "suspicious" or a suspect in a crime. Are you serious??? 

What should be done is a rotation and readjustment for street cops so that they won't become victims of reinforced stereotypes and predispositions. I have people in Peoria calling me that are experiencing things similar to this. When we have police telling people to move and get off the front porch of their own homes, we have an issue. We have received many calls from Peorians who have similar experiences to these. 

SMH!!!!

National Solidarity Sunday

On Sunday 12-14-14 New Bethel COGIC along with thousands of other churches and houses of worship all across America, participated further in the national movement to facilitate change for countless families calling for a revamping of the criminal justice system and community policing.  

The critic asserts that Blacks have run-ins with the law and are in jail because they commit more crimes, but nearly every study done on the issues creates totally different picture than those that appear in the news. Not only is a Black man more likely to die at the hands of police or a law enforcement official, (as of this writing there have been 5 high profile Black homicides at the hands of the police in 5 months) but once sentenced, Blacks are more likely to receive a higher and more lengthy sentence than their White counterparts. Blacks are also more likely to be engaged and stopped by the police during the normal course of life and living based on "suspicious" activity. 

The fact is that both Blacks and Whites commit crimes at similar rates, nearly 6.4%. Yet the prison population explodes with Black persons and persons of color at disproportionately high rates. Combine that with the seeming reversal of 4th Amendment rights and high unemployment and poverty rates within the Black community, then there is no wonder why we have a dangerous combination of frustration and unrest, which leads to a strained relationship between the police and the community. 

Below is a 7 point agenda developed by myself, that a group of associates and I will be promoting along with other items and issues in the coming days and on into the new year. We believe that these issues are fundamental to the process of change which must occur in our city, Peoria, and is inclusive of everyone in the community and not just the poor and minority. In our opinion, these issues have an importance for citizens on Grandview Drive as equally as they have importance for citizens living on Howett St.  You'll be hearing more about these agenda items in coming days and we will add to them as citizens speak up and out on the issues. 

National Solidarity Sunday Agenda from Pastor Harvey Burnett

  

Black Lives Matter...Most Of The Time

The recent excuses given to not indict individuals trusted to protect the public has created a firestorm of controversy in the United States. The Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, Bishop Charles E. Blake, calls on the COGIC community along with all believers to send a strong message of solidarity Sunday Dec. 14th that Black Lives Matter! (I will save my continued and ongoing commendation to the church to prove the same in a future writing thus the "Most Of The Time" appellation in the title)

New Bethel COGIC, The Dunamis Word and entities in which I, Pastor Harvey Burnett, have association or oversight of, also gladly join in with our national church organization to send a message around the country that we believe that BLACK LIVES MATTER!

[Please join New Bethel COGIC at 824 N. Duryea The Romeo B Garrett Ctr. on the campus of Bradley University at 9:00AM Sunday Dec. 14th. Email for more details at Dunamis1@netzero.com]

Pastor Harvey Burnett, New Bethel COGIC, The Dunamis Word & Related Entities Also Believe:

The quality and current condition of Black Lives matter as well. 

Therefore, we call upon business and social and political leaders to help create and develop sustainable economic opportunities whereby Black and poor minorities can be and become gainfully employed and a relevant part of the development of their communities.

The quality of communication, between authority and the community, matters, and must be enhanced:

Therefore, we call on the police and other entities entrusted with the preservation of the public trust to create methods of communication and dialogue that are in the best interest of the entire community and that safeguard all citizens. We commend both citizens and authorities to be held accountable to following those established guidelines and standards, quickly fixing and redressing issues that arise.  

The tactics of authorities must be improved and developed in accord with the community:

We call on law enforcement at all levels to work with the community and community groups in developing strategies and tactics that best serve the public, fight crime and be of a benefit to all citizens.

We Believe That The Local Process Of Police Policing Themselves And The Use Of The Local Prosecutor Or States Attorney In The Cases Of Police Killing Is Ineffective And Ask For A Complete Overhaul In The Process Which Includes An Automatic Independent Review Of Each Occurrence In Which A Citizen Is Killed By A Law Enforcement Official. 
All around the country, in events such as those that took the life of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, the public relies on the local States Attorney's office for Grand Jury assembly and due process. The States Attorney's office however is placed in an immediate position of conflict of interest because that office regularly works with police in order to produce convictions against criminals. We believe that process should be changed immediately simply based on the "appearance" of conflict. We believe that legal review should be an "at arms length" process and regulated independent review appears to be the best way to create and maintain that type of relationship.  

We believe that the community policing strategy of "broken windows" is a tragedy and must be done away with.

We believe the the theory of "broken windows" leads to tragic incidents and standoffs between police and citizens. We believe that this failed theory has contributed to the mishandling of both innocent citizens and citizens such as Eric Garner allegedly engaged in certain low level  crime or criminal activities. We believe that the "broken windows" strategy is a racist strategy at root and only leads to racial profiling.

We believe the courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States, should backtrack historical decisions and reaffirm 4th Amendment protections for ALL citizens.

The historically wild and fanciful interpretation of the courts at the recommendation of law enforcement has eroded American citizens 4th Amendments rights. A violation of 4th Amendment protections has led to excessive "stop and frisk" policies reinforcing practices of racial profiling that we see in departments and communities that embrace such theory. This must STOP! 

Good and exceptional officers should be hailed for their values, efforts and commitments to their communities.

We believe that police departments nationwide are filled with good police who respect and serve the public. We commend those good officers and leaders to stand forward, stand up, and reclaim their departments from associates who may have questionable tactics, methods and philosophies.

From the parents of a police officer:

"OUR TAKE ON ALL OF THE "UNREST" CONCERNING LAW ENFORCEMENT:

We are so disheartened with some of the bad people in law enforcement because they are making it really hard for the good cops, as our son is here in the Orlando area. People are getting so afraid of anyone in a law enforcement uniform that it's making it very difficult for the honest cops out there doing the right thing and making a positive impact in the community in which they serve. It is so very important for ALL of us that when GOOD and HONEST law enforcement gets on the scene of an emergent situation, that they are able to get control of the situation or else a lot of lives can be at stake. If people have a preconceived thought that ALL cops are "crooked cops" this will add more chaos at the scene because of this preconceived way of thinking. All of us can potentially suffer when we ourselves may really need to call "911" because we may be in a life threatening situation where if law enforcement isn't able to get control, our life or our loved ones lives may be at stake. It truly is an unfortunate and scary situation that our nation is in right now because of the bad cops out there.

From: Concerned Parents Of A "GOOD" Cop,
Rodney and Rhonda Furness"

God bless the Furness family and may the protection and the guidance of the Lord be upon them, their son and his family as he serves both God and the community in his profession. 

CCIRB A TRUE Citizens Committee To Address Peoria's Community Policing Issues

The events in Ferguson, MO. is becoming a measuring-stick of many communities.  Those who do not take measure or do not examine themselves in light of these events are simply missing the boat and I believe setting the stage for unrest in their own communities.

The following is a brief examination of the similarities between Ferguson MO. and 1 zip code similarly situated to Ferguson. We believe that a TRUE Citizen's review Board calling on multiple community members and partners to address the issues, is the way to both prepare for and address all things. When examining the numbers on Pg. 2, one cannot understate the significant and terrible similarities between Ferguson and Peoria:

We were intrigued to read a recent article in the Peoria Journal Star  outlining  an "advisory committee on police-community relations". While the effort to sound as if Peoria is doing much work on patching police/community relationships sounds good, there is little as it pertains to the bite of the program because of the apparent conflicts of interests, limited scope of inclusion and selective issues that the committee addresses.

One could ask, what issues has this so called "committee" addressed? How has this committee "advised" the police? Did it "advise former Peoria Police Chief Settingsgaard to drop its "broken windows" community policing strategy? Has it undertaken to address the multiple complaints of police overreach since the City adopted the "Don't Shoot" strategy to combat gangs and gang activity? Then, why would the citizens, especially them in highly affected areas, not know the benefits and objectives of such a committee and be encouraged to be involved in addressing issues that affect us all?

These are questions not easily answered, but neither are they being asked, and especially not by this committee. But let us examine this further...

In 2009, our office received multiple complaints about the interaction of Peoria police with its citizenry. There were over 8 Black men that contacted our office who had highly negative experiences with the police in which they felt that their rights and civil liberties were violated. Although the police claimed that they had not initially received complaints of these gentlemen, I was told that their complaints weren't "real" and that I (Pastor Burnett) was just "stirring things up" by the former police Chief Settingsgaard.

When  we filed the multiple complaints, the former Chief found out that they were "real". Each complaint was addressed and every person leveling a complaint was answered satisfactorily. Whether the end result was desirable or not for each individual, the men were glad to see that at least their issues were taken seriously.

It is that flippant attitude toward citizens of low estate and especially Black citizens, that the CCIRB is designed to address. Though every complaint may not have merit, every complaint should be heard and taken seriously. In addition, more than Black citizens are affected by these sort of events and occurrences. Community policing is an issue for EVERY man, woman and child of this city. We should ask, what can we expect when we are stopped? Is it simply street justice, or can we expect to be handled professionally and with integrity? In addition, we should ask, what type of persons are on our force? What is the temperament of officers, and what tests have been administered to gauge that so that officer rotations can be made in a corresponding manner? 

While I believe that a city should reflect the makeup of it's citizenry, it is a DEAD issue to assume that adding Black officers, or officers of diverse races solves or even addresses the problem with Peoria policing. We advised Settingsgaard to drop the "broken windows" community policing strategy. We have no idea whether that policy continues to exist in Peoria, but we do know this:

Currently there are a series of complaints dealing with the overreach of Peoria Police in the implementation of its "Don't Shoot" tactic to target gang members. The complaints that we have received are not from the criminals and gang-members themselves, but from non-criminal family members in how the program is being administrated. There are some serious issues that could lead to more intense and negative relationships on the streets. That coupled with the low economic environment of certain segments of our community creates a "powder-keg" environment that the so called "advisory committee" will not touch and or address. I believe that failure to address such serious issues is due to conflicts of interest and desire to cater to politics and political issues.  

We will not be so deceived and or entangled. implement a TRUE plan that INCLUDES All citizens of Peoria and asks the tough questions and formulates real and right now strategies that uplift the community. The CCIRB is a true Citizens sponsored plan that includes everyone that has interest in insuring that our community does not suffer unrest and that issues are addressed in a forthright manner. 

Additional info to come.

Pastor H. Burnett  

The Battle Against Community Terrorism...A Question Of Accountability

8/20/2011 Citizen's Speak Out Rally 4:30 PM

Peoria Harrison Homes.

 

NOI Student Minister Roy Muhammad

Minister Roy Muhammad of the Nation Of Islam Peoria Study Group, has rightly raised the question as to the Police Department's role of accountability in the inflow of weapons into the Peoria area and community.

In short he has said, what has the Peoria Police Dept. done in tracking the proliferation of illegal weapons into the Peoria community? In other words are we to believe that the weapons being used by thugs are legally obtained weapons? Or, if these weapons are gained by illegal means, what is the method by which they are entering the community? How does the police not know this information or take responsibility for this knowledge or lack thereof? Behind all that...what is the department doing to STOP the proliferation of illegal weapons into the Peoria community and South Peoria in particular?

We know that dismantling or disrupting the supply chain is a tactic that can be used in any war and especially a war against terrorism. In fact in the Iraqi War, American troops became proficient at finding and eliminating weapons stashes of the enemy so that the enemy could not replenish themselves or rekindle their effort to resist. What has the Peoria Police Department done to dismantle or disrupt the supply chain of the enemy that we are facing within our community.  

The police are rightfully asking citizens to provide information in response to crime and violence. They are seeking and asking citizens to become involved in bringing criminals to justice, however, the CITIZENS need to know what efforts the department is undertaking to cut the pipeline of illegal weapons distribution. Although turning in individuals is the right thing to do, it only creates room for others to stand up and take their place. It is our belief that we must approach this problem in a fundamentally different manner than we have been approaching it up until this point if we are truly sold out to reducing or eliminating crime and violence within our community and the African American community in particular.   

To date, we have no information from the Peoria Police Department regarding this issue and to our knowledge it has not been addressed. The facts are that not only are guns being proliferated, but the ammunition for the guns seem to also be in adequate supply.

Interested community partners would like to know, how these weapons are entering the Peoria area community and what is the primary source of distribution into our streets? If there is no current investigation or operation looking into this, whether openly or undercover, we MUST ask why has not this issue been raised to this level of importance? Especially in light of the fact that most of the murders in any given year are primarily due to illegal weapons activity.

The Association of Pastors and related community partners will seek to get a definitive answer from the Peoria Police Dept. regarding this issue.

Pastor H. Burnett

Exec. Director  

Community Terrorism? Yes, Without A Doubt

Taking The Lead In Creating A Safer Community

The Peoria Association Of Pastors has taken the lead in promoting a safer Peoria for all of it's citizens. Not only is the Association engaged in helping address issues of crime and violence at street level, but we are also communicating with law enforcement through regular monthly meetings.

The concept of community interraction and dialogue instigated by citizens and in this case churches, is new to the City Of Peoria, but has already reaped benefits that cannot be measured. Since meetings have begun, the Association has had the opportunity to address issues of community and officer safety, community initiaives to proliferate information in order to combat crime and violence, and open discussions regarding issues of alleged Police brutality.

Although it may be uncomfortable to open the can of worms called "brutality", The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors has done so in a highly professional, non-political and above board manner.

On April 15th 2008 Pastor Harvey Burnett, Assn. Director, held a press conference to address issues and complaints of alleged brutality, many of which were presented to Peoria Police Chief Settingsgaard as early as Jan. 2008 and additionally in a meeting held Monday April 14th 2008 at the Peoria Police Department.

The press conference stemmed from the overarching need to inform the community about citizens current concerns and actions that have been taken both by the police department and the Association in addressing multiple complaints received over time. During the press conference Pastor Burnett stated the following:

"With that said, we certainly DO NOT wish to paint the picture that the Peoria Police Department is out of control or running rampant. In fact we believe that the overwhelming majority of officers protecting our homes and policing our neighborhoods are highly professional, ethical and valuable assets to the community.
However, we also believe that there are instances and times when non-professional behavior has been displayed and has assisted in undermining the public trust that the citizens must have in it’s local law enforcement agency.
We will not specifically name the victims nor the alleged offenders in this press conference. Much information has already been shared with the Police and is currently under review. We have every reason to believe that Peoria Police Chief Settingsgaard, who has embraced the opportunity to dialogue with the Pastors Assn. and the Pastoral community, will do a thorough, complete and fair evaluation of each particular allegation with the utmost integrity.
What we can share, is that based on the information that we have received, tensions have risen in some neighborhoods because of perceived unprofessional policing activities against some of our youth and has caused highly negative sentiments and rebellious actions toward authority.
In addition, there are other highly credible incidents, including one (in which an official complaint has been filed) where a reputable older aged, community member was verbally confronted in an unprofessional manner, tazed at least once from behind, prod-shocked 3 times while laying on the ground and kicked in the face while handcuffed, creating significant bruising and additional medical issues.
In this particular case, there was no drugs or weapons involved, and the person was merely responding, in a non threatening manner, to the arrest of a family member who was "facing the music" for an admitted charge.
This is particularly troubling for a number of reasons. At a grass roots level, this is a time when we are dealing with issues of trust between police and the residents of certain neighborhoods.
Many individuals who could report crime have no confidence due to what they have observed at times. As we have explained to police in great detail, these types of incidents do not foster open communication, and tend to destabilize individuals and neighborhoods emotionally.
It is our aim to foster a heightened awareness of both the problems and solutions to such behavior."

Although this issue is challenging and can be highly subjective, we hold fast to our premise that a safer community takes the committment of both the church, citizens of the community, and governmental agencies that professionally and adequately deliver services without exception. Citizens are the tax paying base on which the city and community exists. It is encumbent upon the leadership of the community at all levels to make it's best effort to accomodate the citizens they serve.

Although we feel that great efforts and strides have been and are being made we realize that there is a long way to go toward making the community better and more safe for ALL of it's citizens.

ANY citizen having experienced police abuse or brutality, and wishing to file a complaint should complete the Peoria Police Citizen Complaint Form and submit it as soon as possible. If any individual is having a problem dealing with the police directly, or simply needs assistance, information or direction, please contact Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard at (309)494-8334 or the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors at Dunamis1@netzero.com or (877)677-6599.

Pastors Request A New Level Of Communication With City Officials

Pastor Harvey Burnett the Director of the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors, has requested the development of ongoing meetings and strategy sessions between Police, City Officials, and Association members in an effort to build upon relationships created through the Peoria Gun exchange and create winning strategies to assist the community in its fight against crime and violence.

In an email addressed to Peoria Police Chief Setingsgaard and Peoria City Manager Randy Oliver the week of Jan. 1st 2008, Pastor Burnett requested the development of ongoing meetings to address crime at a grass roots level and to create ideas that are aimed at addressing social issues, curbing crime within neighborhoods, and creating positive relationships between the police and citizens.

A meeting with Peoria Mayor Ardis has been scheduled for Tuesday Jan. 15th to discuss the issue.


Copy Of Letter To The Media:

Student Tickets- The Focus Of The City

As the Pastor’s Assn. moves forward there are many areas of concern that we share. One such concern is for the Children that have been ticketed for J-walking at both Manual and Woodruff High Schools. Although we share many of the sentiments of the NAACP and the Dr. King King Holiday Cmte., we share those sentiments for vastly different reasons. We will set forth a clear record in this blog so that the public will not confuse our motivations with other community organizations.

On Sept. 28 2007 the Peoria Police Dept. engaged in an operation to address community disturbances in both the aforementioned High School areas. This was the first phase of a multi-phase operation. The result was 32 J-walking tickets issued to various students with the youngest student being 11 years old. Although tickets were issued for individuals obstructing traffic, there were eye-witness accounts that many students were not in violation of the ordinance, and were merely crossing the street.

Immediately, without investigation or further commentary, or even consideration for community organizations such as The Peoria Assn. of Pastors, who had successfully began dialogue on the subject of community harmony through the Peoria Gun Exchange; cries of racism spawned from the NAACP and the King Holiday Cmte. The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors distanced itself from those accusations through it’s release to the Peoria Journal Star found at the following link: http://www.pjstar.com/stories/101307/TRI_BEKGK8JE.029.php

Although racism exists within Peoria, The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal do not believe that unfounded racial allegations should be used as a tool for social negotiations or for political gain. We further believe that unfounded allegations only further serve to divide and polarize the community and are a disservice to the goal of overall community harmony and peace. We feel that the best way to discover and dispose of racism is through honest, open and clear dialogue, and setting forth clear action plans to address the issues.

On Oct. 22nd 2007, there was a meeting between the Mr. Randy Oliver (City Manager), Police Chief Settingsgaard, Pastor Harvey Burnett, Dr. Rita Ali (The Dr. King Holiday Cmte.), Mr. Don Jackson (NAACP), and Mr. Clyde Gulley (1st Dist. Councilman) and certain other community leaders.
After much discussion, Pastor Burnett set forth the following ideas:

• 1- The tickets written to the youth should be reduced to warnings with stipulations
  That this is a one time reduction and special exception
  Police Authority has not been undermined or circumvented.
  That the NAACP and the King Holiday Cmte. withdraw their allegations of racism
  
• 2- That a community dialogue with the police should continue as to include certain designated representatives of the NAACP and the King Holiday Cmte. The reason we say "continue" is that a dialogue with the Police HAD ALREADY begun at the hand and request of the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors.

Tuesday Oct. 23rd 2007 a press conference has been scheduled at 1:00 PM at the Peoria Police Dept. During this event a formal announcement will be made that the ticket reduction recommendation has been accepted with the following stipulations:

• This is a One Time Reduction.
• The parents of each ticketed student will be notified and required to sign off .
• The students will be required to attend a seminar on community and social responsibility
• The community dialogue would continue as stated previously.
  

The NAACP however refused to withdraw it’s allegations of racial profiling and discrimination when challenged by Pastor Burnett. Because of their refusal, we do not believe that the allegation of racism or the failure to withdraw those allegations until full discussions have been concluded are a good faith effort by both the King Holiday Cmte. or the NAACP.

Special Note:

Racial polarization is not healthy for any facet of the Peoria community and is not a strategy that the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors endorses in resolving community disputes. Honest, open and candid discussion and relationship building is the way that we choose to fight racism at all levels. If diplomacy fails, public steps should be made to disclose all manner of evil, wrong and racism. Until then, the community is better served by leaders who ask questions first, make judgements secondly and who set forth strategies for sustained change.

Therefore we call and continue to pray for full racial reconciliation and a new strategy going forward as we begin a new day of black leadership with the Peoria community.

Even so come Lord Jesus!

Peoria Gun Exchange # 3 Another Great Success

Once again, the Peoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community & Spiritual Renewal has had another successful gun exchange event. 13 guns and weapons were delivered for exchange. The total number of weapons turned in during the exchange so far has been approximately 54.

This week the following items were exchanged:

• A 9 MM handgun, estimated by experts on the scene, to be worth approximately $800.00. If this gun were stolen property, it will soon be returned to its owner.
• A sawed off, pump shot gun, perfect length to be concealed under a long coat during the holiday season this winter, and in perfect operating condition.

We have heard testimonies from various individuals who have told us that they were glad that we were there for them and our community during this event. We are glad for the relationships that have been made both with Police and individuals in the community.

Looking Ahead:

The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors will decide this week if another gun exchange event is in order. We will announce our plans both to the media and post additional details on this blog. We will also consider what the 2008 Peoria Gun Exchange will look like. Please stay tuned for further information and details. We are encouraged in the name of the Lord.

Peoria Gun Exchange # 2 Another Great Success

The Peoria Assn. Of Pastors For Community and Spiritual Renewal thanks God for another great gun exchange event. On Saturday Oct. 6th 2007 our assn. exchanged 18 weapons for gift certificates and vouchers including a sawed off shotgun and ammunition that the police was very glad to relieve the community of. ALL weapons were functional and of very high quality.

In all, both gun exchange events have netted over 41 guns and paid almost $4,000 in incentives.

The event was hosted by the St. Paul Baptist Church of Peoria. Their staff did a tremendous job in helping serve the exchange participants.

Some Of The Highlights:

• A family who has observed a certain group of individuals use a sawed off shotgun at various times for suspected criminal activity, gained the courage to take matters in their own hands, found the hiding place of the weapon, (which had been stored outside) and brought it to the exchange for a $100 Walmart gift card that the family plans to use to assist with food and clothing purchases for their children.
• Although we generally don’t compensate for long weapons, in a rare instance, the police suggested that we provide an incentive for an individual who brought in 2 shot guns that were in excellent condition. The individual feared that someone would steal and misuse the weapons. The officers processing the weapon stated that he had lifted 2 of the same type of shotguns in a bust just a couple of months ago. (Here In Peoria) From what the officer said, the current trend involves modifying the weapon buy sawing it off, so that it can be better concealed and used in more threatening ways. Once again, the pastors Assn. was glad to be there.

Next Gun Exchange Event Date & Location:

• Resurrection Power Church Of God In Christ
  2500 N.E. Madison Peoria, IL. 61603
  (309)685-8613 or http://www.resurrectionpowercogic.blogspot.com/
  Saturday Oct. 20th 2007
  Time: 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
  Volunteer Orientation: 9:00 AM (10/20/07) at Resurrection Power COGIC
  

Donations and Contributions:

• Send TO: New Bethel Ministries
  Payable to:
  New Bethel/Pastor’s Assn.
  P.O. Box 6167
  Peoria, IL. 61601
  Memo: Gun Exchange

Any amount will be greatly appreciated and all gifts receive a charitable receipt for the allowable portion of the gift received.

Special Word On The Incentive Debate:

Some have questioned the motivations of individuals exchanging guns solely because of the $100 incentive. First of all, some individuals have exchanged guns freely and would not accept a gift. Secondly, although we realize that there may be some who abuse the opportunity, we feel that the incentive offered is a positive both for the individual and our community.
For many in our target group of individuals (which have participated in this program) an incentive is necessary for them to act or move in the right direction. Taking control of one’s environment requires courage and we are glad to reward individuals for courage as it pertains to helping to make their environment and our community a better one.

Society Often Rewards Less Courageous Acts:

Here is an example: It is a known fact that in many instances, individuals and businesses measure their charitable contributions based on the amount of tax deductions they nominally receive in exchange for their gifts. In these cases, are tax-deductible gifts or the givers motivations called into question or deemed any less valid because of the incentives afforded through the tax code? Obviously NOT!

Therefore, to criticize gun exchange participants who may not have had the courage or opportunity to show up otherwise is unfair and highly unreasonable at best. The Peoria community could provide no more effective incentive than in finding a way to motivate ordinary people to take control of their environments and help them make their neighborhoods better and more safe.

A Closing Note:

Tuesday evening Oct. 9th, the Peoria City Council will decide if this effort is worth the City’s financial participation. Although the City Police Dept. has gone above and beyond the call of duty for and with us, the City Govt. somehow stalled our original request since Aug. 13th 2007.

It is promising that we have not received ANY negative feedback from any council members regarding this event and further there are council persons that have said that they want the City to be involved, however it will be well worth noting how they position themselves on this issue both individually and as a body.

Let’s watch how this one plays out.

The Peoria Gun Exchange A Great Success

Thank God for a wonderful and favorable Gun Exchange event. The gun exchange supplied individuals with valued resources, renewed hope, and extended an new set of relationships and prayer partners to community members who previously didn’t know each other. There were over 21 $100 gift cards delivered and over 23 guns taken in or exchanged.

Due to the community dialogue that has occurred, the program was already considered a success before one gun was exchanged, but the sheer numbers and participation far exceeded the expectation of many. There were an approximate 15 additional individuals turned away. So far there has been a series of calls from individuals wishing to participate in future events and relieve their environments of unwanted guns.

Due to the favorable and overwhelming response the exchange scheduled for Saturday Sept. 29th has been rescheduled. The next event will be as follows:

• Saturday Oct. 6th 2007
  Location: St. Paul Baptist Church 603 W. Nebraska Peoria, IL. 61604 (309)686-2086
  Time: 10:00Am to 2:00 PM (or while supplies last)
• Volunteer Training 9:00AM 10/6/07 St. Paul Baptist Church.

We continue to solicit private donations from any business or individual willing to contribute toward this effort. Donations can be received either personally by calling any of the Pastors listed on this page or mailed to the following address:

• New Bethel/Pastors Assn.
  PO Box 6167
  Peoria, IL. 61601
  Payable to New Bethel/Pastors Assn.
  Memo: Gun Exchange

We wish to thank all businesses, individuals and organizations that have contributed toward this exchange. In addition to the churches of the association, the following is a listing of businesses and individuals that have supported our efforts as of 10/3/2007:

• DECA Realty
• Dunamis Insurance & Business Services
• Illinois Mutual
• Hardin Signs
• Citizens For Community Values
• The Heights Bank
• The Peoria Palace Skating Rink
• Agape Baptist Church
• 5th Avenue Fashions
• MacDonald Shell Gas Stations
• Walmart Peoria (University Peoria)
• South Side Bank Peoria
• Robert O. Kaiser CPA
• Mr. Everett Fritz JD
• Rev. Linda Butler
• Young Visionaries Scholarship Fund
• W.E. Turner- Peoria City Council At Large Rep.
• Citizens For Ardis
• Alwan & Sons Inc.
• Falcon Inc.
• Brewers Distribution
• Honda World Of Peoria
• D. Joseph & Sons Assoc. Real Estate
• Friends Of Ray LaHood
• Mr. Darrin LaHood JD
• City Of Peoria
• Peterson Health Systems
• The Draves Family

Your gifts were used to assist people who were in need and were willing to participate. They helped:

• A man who admittedly had trouble in the past and a criminal background, but who has committed to serving his family and working full time. He needed money for gas to make it to work. He received a $100 Shell Gas card in exchange for a weapon that someone had used to try to kill him with.
  
• An elderly woman who’s primary fear was that someone would break into her home and use the gun that her deceased husband had in the home to kill her.
  
• An individual who no longer wants street or thug life or anything that used to resemble where he had come from.

Every person received prayer and all interactions were positive. Thank you Peoria for your continued support and prayers. The Peoria Pastors Assn. is on the move.

Churches And Pastors:
This Association is all church inclusive and an interdenominational effort. Any church wishing to be a part of the Association and be recognized as such, should call Pastor Burnett at (309)688-6599 or any of the fine Pastors listed on this site.

Peoria Gun Exchange Event

Gun Exchange Theme & Purpose:
The theme for the gun exchange event is "I Am My Brother’s Keeper, Not His Killer" Our purpose is to get guns and weapons off of the street and out of the wrong individuals hands. We are targeting guns that have been used and that could be used in criminal activity which includes violent crimes and any other felonious activities.

Gun Exchange Target:
We are targeting individuals who have been or are likely to be involved in criminal activity using handguns or other weapons. We are targeting family members who have been encouraging individuals to not be involved in criminal activity but have no incentive to take matters into their own hands.We are also targeting individuals who wish to simply take initiative to change their lives, circle of friends and value systems.

Event Goal:
Our goal is to assist in lowering the potential of violent crime resulting from handgun use and misuse. In addition we will minister to the physical and spiritual needs of the individuals and families turning in weapons, and create a greater partnership with the church, police, and the business community.

Gun Exchange Dates:
Sept. 22nd, 2007 and tentatively for 3 Saturday’s consecutively. All Saturday afternoons from 10:00AM to 2:00 PM. There will be 4 different churches used in this effort. The first church is Kingdom Temple Church Of God In Christ located at 911 W. Smith St. Peoria, IL. 61605

Incentive:
We will provide $100 (Non-alcohol & tobacco) food or retail vouchers or gift card certificates in exchange for every qualifying gun. Retail certificates for the first week of the event will be provided by MacDonalds Shell, Walmart and The Finish Line. Due to funding levels supplies will be limited.

Volunteer Training:
There is a training session set for 6:30 PM Thursday Sept. 20th at the Kingdom Temple COGIC 911 W. Smith Peoria, IL. 61605. (309)655-0500. There will also be additional training at 9:00 AM Saturday Sept. 22nd 2007, immediately before the event kickoff.

Contact:
Pastor Harvey Burnett
Pastors Assn. Exec. Dir.
New Bethel COGIC- (309)-688-6599

Pastor Bob Randle
Pastors Assn. Member
Higher Dimensions Church- (309)-673-9594

Supt. Embra Patterson
Pastors Assn. Member
Kingdom Temple Church Of God In Christ- (309)655-0500

Capt. Phil Korem
Peoria Police Dept. – (309)-494-8399