Jose Claudio, president of the New North Citizens' Council, said changes in the North End are palpable due to ongoing anti-crime efforts in the neighborhood.
SPRINGFIELD — Funding from the state's Shannon Grant will continue to bolster the so-called C3 Policing Model in the city's North End, a neighborhood once plagued by drugs and gang activity that continues to improve due to stepped-up law enforcement efforts.
"It's wonderful to have this approved grant for the city and for us, especially, so we can make a difference in the neighborhoods and in the whole area of Springfield," Jose Claudio, president of the New North Citizens' Council, told CBS 3 News, media partner of The Republican/MassLive.com.
"C3" stands for "Counter Criminal Continuum," a crime-fighting initiative created by Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Cutone, a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran who is based at the Springfield barracks. C3 is an intensive community-policing strategy involving troopers and Springfield police. Under the model, law enforcement officials cultivate relationships with community residents and stakeholders and seek their input on public safety issues.
This year's $714,000 Shannon grant, made possible through the state Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, represents a $70,000 increase over the amount Springfield received last year, CBS 3 reports. Crime in the North End has dipped by about 68 percent since the C3 unit began targeting crime in the neighborhood by partnering with the community and people like Claudio, the TV station reports.
Claudio says the changes in the neighborhood are palpable. "You can see the difference," the community leader said.