April 18, 2016
If you’re reading this story on Monday morning, T. Milton Street Sr. is currently en route to New York City to meet with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Again.
If you’re reading it after noon, the GOP front-runner and local member of his “policy team” are either currently discussing – or already have discussed – how to take Street’s "414 Community Movement," an initiative to help combat crime in distraught Philadelphia neighborhoods, nationwide.
Specifically, Street’s proposal would see local, “civic-minded” residents put to work as unarmed “street patrols” who “assist police by performing uniform patrols” in urban neighborhoods.
Street told PhillyVoice early Monday morning that Trump has already agreed to back the concept and that they’d be putting the “final touches” on taking it across the country during Monday's meeting.
“With the cooperation of inner-city government, the cost for this program can come out of the existing budget,” Street said.
“The uniform presence of mothers, fathers, friends and neighbors who are connected directly to the police will provide a quick response and prevention tool," he continued.
While heading north for his noon meeting, Street noted that the proposal dates back to the memorable press conference where he sang a gospel song near a coffin outside City Hall.
“I’ve offered the 414 plan to Democrats since 2007, but I’ve gotten no response,” he said. “My efforts to stop violence in our community and schools for the last seven years have been rejected by Democrats, so I decided to do something different. … My conversation with Mr. Trump and his representatives was so positive. Within this supportive response, I decided to join his campaign.
“It’s important to note that the reason I ended up in Donald Trump’s kitchen is because Democrats rejected me so many times. Once you get rejected so many times, you either go some place else or you quit."
Street obviously has no quit in his game.
“It’s important to note that the reason I ended up in Donald Trump’s kitchen is because Democrats rejected me so many times." – T. Milton Street Sr.
“We’re going to stop crime on the playgrounds, in the schools and community,” he said. “The sad part is that 94, 95 percent of the broader inner-city community are good people. Five, six percent are bad people who cause a negative opinion of the black community itself.
“When a black guy commits a crime, it’s all black people. In order for us to do anything in the black community, to draw any economic investment, we have to stop the crime. Nobody will invest in crime-ridden areas. It runs the talent out.”
Street will update PhillyVoice after his meeting with Trump today, including word of whether the Republican candidate will be coming to Philadelphia for a rally, as he's been invited to do.
