ROCKFORD, Ailing. (WTVO) — Residents are putting in solar-powered lights in a crime-ridden neighborhood within the hopes of deterring violence, due to a neighborhood fundraising effort.
Native organizations raised cash for the brand new lights after a collection of home invasions and rapes within the Coronado Haskell neighborhood.
The Coronado Haskell space is located between North Fundamental, Whitman, Rockton Avenue and Jefferson Avenue.
“A few of our neighborhood streets and alleyways are darkish they usually’re unsafe at evening, and we didn’t need it to be that method,” mentioned Charmain Logwood, President of the Coronado Haskell Neighborhood Affiliation.
“The Metropolis of Rockford had pulled out a whole lot of road lights, and the neighborhood bought actually darkish,” mentioned Jeremiah Growth’s government director, Sue Kanthak.
This system to put in 125 lights started in 2019, however efforts had been halted because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
“Having these areas illuminated was the proper technique to result in security to our neighbors,” mentioned Logwood. “We obtained the lights earlier than this incident with the rapist happened, so it was good timing.”
“There have been a number of property house owners that, once we’ve gone and put in lights, they’ve known as and mentioned, ‘I’m going to put in extra lights and I’m going to place in safety cameras,’” Kanthak mentioned.
Set up of the lights had been made doable by a number of volunteers and the Rockford Police Division.
