Police,Officials Tour Maverick Landing

Captain Kelley McCormick addresses the group of residents, community leaders and elected officials at Maverick Landing.

District 7 Captain Kelley McCormick joined with East Boston’s elected officials and community leaders from Maverick Landing last week to tour the public housing development following a shooting there last week.

“We did a walk through with Maverick Landing’s Tenant Task Force, our elected officials, ROCA and NUBE to find ways to address some of the violence that has occurred in recent months,” said McCormick. “This was our first step in reaching out to neighbors to get a sense of what they would like to see moving forward.”

McCormick said he’s looking to add more programing to the area like soccer clinics and other outdoor activities but ultimately wants to see more neighbors out on the streets and meeting one another. “Residents have to take ownership of their community,” he said. “We can offerleadership, guidance and protection but it is ultimately up to the residents to take a hands on approach to directing their community,” said McCormick.

McCormick said this could include, but not limited to, a better Crime Watch organization in the area, more community events in the public open spaces that surround Maverick Landing and a better partnership with police when a crime does occur.“We want to get down to a grassroots level and show how residents there can help us,” said McCormick. “Getting outside, talking to your neighbors, finding common ground and being the eyes and ears helps us do our job better.”

McCormick added that everyone has a right to be safe but residents should also help others be safe. “The real ownership of a community belongs to the people,” said McCormick. “We’ll be returning to Maverick Landing for a follow up meeting with residents on September 10 and I would like to see more people actively participating in making the area a safe place to live and raise a family.”

McCormick was joined by Representative Carlo Basile and City Councilor Sal LaMattina for the walk through. “We are looking at ways to beef up community policing efforts with more programing,” said Basile. “We have seen in the past when there’s a good working relationship between residents and police, whether its violence, problem properties or other quality of life issues, the problem gets solved together as a partnership.”LaMattina echoed Basile’s comments and said that he hopes to see more people taking advantage of the still warm summer and fall months to take part in outdoor activities and meet their neighbors. “We had a problem on Princeton Street years ago but those neighbors got to know one another, formed a Crime Watch group, held annual block parties and were able to successfully stop the uptick in crime there,” said LaMattina.

The shooting incident occurred Sunday, August 24 at 11:15 p.m. Police responded to a call for shots fired near Maverick Landing. Police found a victim on the corner of Sumner and London Street suffering from a gun shot wound. He was transported to Mass General with non life-threatening injuries.