Taking on Commerce

As relatives flew the body of Eduardo “Piku” Herrera home for burial Friday in his native Puerto Rico, police and city officials began organizing a plan to chase crime from North Commerce Avenue.

Stretched across Waynesboro’s east side, the street name crackles across police radios regularly – most recently for Herrera’s slaying, the second murder in five weeks of a tenant at 260 N. Commerce Ave. Police are seeking two suspects in Herrera’s killing.

City Manager Mike Hamp said he and others are considering the creation of a multi-organization task force to focus on cleaning up the area.

Agencies involved in the effort could include police, the Central Shenandoah Valley Office on Youth, the city Health Department as well as local nonprofit groups aand retail stores, according to city e-mails obtained by The News Virginian in the wake of recent crimes tied to North Commerce. Such a group could enhance the resources available to authorities, Hamp said.

One resource at the city’s fingertips: Jeff Gorley, a public safety consultant whose work in Miami-Dade County earned him national notoriety and features in the Miami Herald.

From 2005 to 2009, Gorley led a public housing task force in collaboration with the Miami-Dade Police Department to help clean up troubled neighborhoods, including the city of Opa-locka, Fla.
City Councilman Bruce Allen said Gorley’s experience and knowledge would make him a valuable resource.

“I’m definitely putting Jeff’s name up,” Allen said. “That’s the person that I think would be logical to have.”

Gorley, who moved to Waynesboro last year, said he looks forward to meeting with city officials to learn whether they’ll appeal for his help.

“I am thrilled that the city is looking into that, and looking at me.,” he said. “There has to be a commitment from the city to turn around that community. That’s where it starts. That’s where the support comes from.”

Gorley said one of the first steps in improving a neighborhood is getting to know everyone who lives in it.

“I would know every single person,” he said. “This is a constant thing and you have to be right there.”

Gorley said he’s met with city police Chief Doug Davis and Allen about his ideas for the street. He said he’s excited about the movement and is ready to see changes occur.

“There can’t be meeting after meeting after meeting, though,” he said. “I do not want to be involved in something where there is talking and talking and talking and talking. This is not something that’s hard. This is simple stuff.”

Hamp said his office is in the preliminary stage of evaluating various grant opportunities, including through the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development.

In an e-mail to Hamp, Davis said his office is also investigating the process of applying for grants.

“There is also the possibility of using Weed and Seed money to hire additional officers to work on the project,” Davis wrote. “They can be used for other patrol duties, but this project would be [their] responsibility. Still researching this.”

Davis also emphasized the importance of working with Bobby Jardine, the owner of the apartment building at 260 N. Commerce Ave.

“I met with [him] this morning and I feel very confident he is working with us as best he can to solve the issues out there,” the chief said Friday.

Davis said the problem along North Commerce Avenue differs from Gorley’s work in Florida because the apartment complex “is not public housing, it’s private.”

“It’s harder to get something done,” he said.

In recent months, police increased patrols and walk-throughs at the apartment building. Police respond to an average of almost a call a day there.

Amid the talks and discussion about the improvement of their neighborhood, the tenants at 260 N. Commerce Ave. continued to mourn the loss of Herrera.

At 4 p.m. Friday, Herrera’s girlfriend, Tammy Painter, stepped out of her apartment with a bouquet of flowers.

More color for a memorial already studded with candles and notes.

“You’re gone but not forgotten,” a poster read.

The message stood before more than 30 candles – part of Puerto Rican tradition, Painter said.