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Indy’s Ten Point brings blueprint to Muncie to tackle violence and drugs

MUNCIE, Ind (WISH) – Nearly 20 years after its first march, an Indianapolis crime fighting group brought its model to another Indiana community for the first time.

Since 1999, Reverend Charles Harrison has walked Circle City streets with the Ten Point Coalition. It’s an organization aimed at reducing crime, especially with minors.

It’s a blueprint Reverend Harrison wasn’t sure would work at first.

“You know the neighborhoods are dangerous,” Reverend Harrison said. “You know, there’s a possibility that you could be harmed. There was a lot of apprehension that night.”

Fear turned into joy, as crime numbers dropped in certain Circle City neighborhoods. Now, he’s trying to do the same to Muncie streets.

“Don’t expect quick results when they’re doing this,” Reverend Harrison said. “It’s going to take time. Part of the key of this is building relationships on the street, getting to know people,” said Harrison.

It’s a relationship he’s built with Marwin Strong, who leads the Muncie group, Enough is Enough.

“Now, am I nervous?,” Strong said. “No. Am I excited? Yes! We always have butterflies, but I’m ready to move. This movement is going to be powerful,” said Strong.

Last month in Muncie, three people were killed, and others died from drug overdoses. Strong thinks Ten Point’s plan might be a solution.

“They are engaging the community,” Strong said. “They are going out and talking to the people. They have OG’s, people who have been there and done that.”

Street credibility is why Strong thinks Ten Point would help a number of Indiana communities. Reverend Harrison is doing just that.

This week, he met with the Indiana attorney general. Thursday, he got a call from the attorney general’s office saying state representatives want to meet with him.

“This does work,” Reverend Harrison said. “If you work this and you get the right people on the street .”

Reverend Harrison doesn’t know when the state meeting will take place. As for Muncie, the effort goes beyond Thursday’s march.

The group plans to help get people jobs, and ease relationships with officers, so more people will cooperate with police.

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