Manatee commissioner to host crime forum

Manatee County Commission Chair Dr. Gwendolyn Brown will host a community forum next week to address neighborhood crime and other problems plaguing Manatee County.

County judges, the State Attorney’s office, local law enforcement officials and public safety officers are expected to attend the roundtable discussion, scheduled for 6 p.m., June 23, at the Palmetto Youth Center, 501 17th St. W.

“I want a better working relationship among the community, those enforcing the law and those prosecuting criminals,” Brown said. “There’s no problem that belongs to just one group of people; it belongs to everybody. When you have them all at the table it’s a totally different ballgame. They work on a solution rather than pointing fingers.”

Brown encourages anyone with pressing community concerns to attend the meeting.

Other topics up for discussion include illegal drug sales, excessive noise, foreclosures, credit issues and other more.