Crime in Lake Worth

The escalating crime in our city has to come to a halt! You have a chance to help make this a reality and not just wishful thinking.

On Monday, August 4th at 6:30p.m. at the Scottish Rites Masonic Center located at 2000 North D Street the City Commission will be voting on the proposed contract to merge our police department with the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office. This meeting is our last chance for this merger to take place.

Over 97% of the officers within the Lake Worth police department want this merger to take place and are willing to take a pay cut to make it happen. Why? Because our police department is understaffed, overworked and does not have the funds or resources necessary to fight crime effectively and keep its residents safe, and our officers know this merger will provide them what they are lacking.

Just over the course of last weekend there was an armed home invasion on 4th Avenue N and K; on 7th Avenue North (Park of Commerce area) a man was beat to death and his body burned; Saturday morning there was an armed robbery outside National City Bank on Lucerne Avenue; a shooting took place on the corner of 5th Avenue North and J Street, and there were 5 armed robberies by a group or gang that the police said are working the 12th through 16th Avenue South area on Dixie Highway in the past week.

We all know someone touched by crime. Bruce and Maryanne Webber’s son was robbed at gunpoint inside his condo in downtown Lake Worth across from Paradiso Restaurant. This is the same building our son lives in. The list goes on and go. We all see the proliferation of prostitutes on the streets. With prostitutes come drugs and crime. We need more officers on the streets. This merger will provide that!

We need the Commission to know we as a community support this merger. PLEASE take a quick minute to call or e-mail the Mayor and Commissioners below to let them know how important their support of this merger is. Just say "please vote for the merger." City Hall is 586-1730.

Mayor Jeff Clemens: jclemens@lakeworth.org
Commissioner Retha Lowe: rlowe@lakeworth.org
Commissioner David Vespo: dvespo@lakeworth.org
Commissioner Jo-Ann Golden: jgolden@lakeworth.org
Commissioner Cara Jennings: cjennings@LakeWorth.org

If you are able, please come to the meeting to speak on behalf of this merger. If you don’t like public speaking, come and fill out a comment card that will be read into the record by the Mayor. Once it is submitted you don’t have to stay if you can’t. This is sooooo important for your safety and everyone's safety who lives in Lake Worth. We need to have a BIG voice for this to pass. Feel free to pass this on to your friends/neighbors.

Erin Allen