Open-hearted discussion that ranged from desperate hope to motivated resolve toward change dominated talks at New Iberia’s PUSH Coalition community meeting held Monday night at the West End’s Martin Luther King Center.

“I’ve never seen so many broken hearts. One lady lost a son six months ago and now she’s lost another one, and we have to wait until June or July for a police department. How many more people are going to be dead by then, people are hurting,” said Rosalind Bobb, founder of Life Grief Support Ministry.  

Bobb was one of more than two dozen New Iberia residents who attended to have an open discussion about the city’s crime rate and how it’s affecting residents.

On the panel of community leaders who were on hand to hear the crowd were PUSH Coalition members the Rev. Wilfred Johnson, District 2 City Councilman Marlon Lewis, New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt, New Iberia Police Chief Todd D’Albor, City Councilwoman Sherry Guidry and PUSH Coalition member the Rev. James Broussard. Bishop Jules Anderson Jr. of Franklin served as moderator.

DeCourt said he has invested $2 million so far in equipment and personnel that will provide the city with a skilled and very diverse police department. The mayor, along with D’Albor, said it will to take a group effort to bring about change. 

“Between law enforcement that serves you and a community that cares what the future is going to be, we can get things done,” D’Albor said.

The topic of community policing was explored thoroughly.

Former City Councilwoman Peggy Gerac said she was one of the founding members of her District 2 Neighborhood Watch. Gerac recalled a time when there were residents who took to the streets along with police officers to walk the streets and drive around neighborhoods to keep an eye out for reckless activity.

When asked what hindered her community’s effort, Gerac was frank.

 “We were told from the inside that we were cutting the drug sales down too much (and drug dealers spend money … “they buy houses, they buy cars)” and some of the people stopped coming,” Gerac said.  

Despite that experience, Gerac said she believes her community can become inspired again. 

“I know this is a new time,” she said.

Others at the meeting also expressed hope about a community that can come together. 

The father of Renarda Jones’ two daughters, 7-year-old Joi and 5-year-old Jordyn, was shot in the back in December. She feels it’s time for someone to speak out and she’s not afraid. 

“We can pray all day but God gave us power. We have to do something,” Jones said.

Bobb agreed. She said after her son was murdered, she became hands on in identifying who shot him and gave police leads. 

“I do believe if mothers with murdered children would get together and do their own work they can get results,” Bobb said.

The PUSH Coalition group includes local ministers who plans to hold a community meeting quarterly from now on.