Putting out the fire of crime in Prince William County

Davon Gray
Published: September 22, 2008

The old saying goes, “where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” Well, Prince William County is seeing a lot of smoke this year and we need to put the fire out now.

When I moved to Woodbridge 12 years ago, I remember this area being a sleepy little town that seemed worlds away from D.C. in ways other than just a commute. Violent crime was almost unheard of
unless I saw it on television in another part of the D.C. metro area. Tragically, that has changed.

Recent county news headlines tell why:

“A 61-year-old woman is killed in a car crash after being abducted” ... “A man is killed outside his apartment” ... “Another man is killed in a conspiracy involving 3 assailants”... “Kids are locked down in
their schools while police look for a murder suspect.”

These are just the most recent headlines telling the tale of smoldering troubles here in Woodbridge. There have been others. Everything from bank robberies, armed robberies, drug busts and the list goes
on.

Our area has lost its innocence compared to some other D.C. metro communities.

So where did things go wrong? To be honest, I am not sure. I do know the majority of these crimes are being done by young people (30 and below). I believe that I read the two young men responsible for
the death and abduction of the 61-year-old woman were 20 and 18. What a waste of life all around.

Maybe it’s time for a little “tough love” with some of the young people in our community? After all, I would be willing to bet that many of these major crimes started out as smaller, pettier crimes.

A few years ago I would have said that our young people just need direction and a little preventive care. My opinion has partially changed on that. Yes, we do still need alternatives that allow our young
people to make good choices, and I believe we have a lot of those here in Prince William County (things like recreational sports and other forms of entertainment are available). But in the end, we all must
get it though the minds of our young people that ultimately crime, even petty ones, will take you to three places: the jail cell, the hospital, the morgue or all three.

As for the crime from the more seasoned adult criminals, it’s time for us to say “oh no, not here.” Anytime a community goes from fistfights to shootouts, it’s time to take note.

To put it in more practical terms, this will require a lot more effort, sacrifice and prayer from the rest of us trying to do the right things in our community.

It may require some of us to join a local Neighborhood Watch program. Some time ago, I talked with a police officer who coordinates the program and that person quickly sent out information about how to
form a watch program in our neighborhood.

Sacrifice will definitely require us taking more time to speak with our children and keep them accountable. I can’t tell you the number of times I have been driving home late at night and seen young people
walking the streets. This is either dangerous for them as potential victims or for hardworking, taxpaying citizens as potential victims.Either way it’s questionable for them to be out.

As parents, even when our kids are in their upper teens, we are still responsible for their actions. Many of the folks who are hardened criminals at 30 got their start at 15, 16 and 17. And if they are
walking the streets at night, we as parents should be held legally accountable for their actions.

You might say enforcing curfews or keeping kids off the streets is a law enforcement issues. You are right. But that type of law doesn’t start with the police; it starts with the parents. As for the ones who
are past 18, they simply need to change their ways or potentially end up in one of those three categories I mentioned earlier.

As a community we must do better or situations like last week, where students become prisoners in their own school, will become the norm.

Keep in mind, this is not the first time this year kids have been locked down in a classroom. A similar incident happened during the summer. One of the summer care programs was locked down while
police looked for a robbery suspect. I know; my daughter was one of the kids on lockdown.

Children should not have to deal with this type of craziness as normal activity, and our community should not accept crime as just a loss of innocence and a new way of life.

Davon Gray works in Washington, D.C., and resides in Woodbridge. Contact him at .