Boston Police and the Mattapan leaders found themselves aligned on Monday night during a conversation meant to fill a “void” of information and direction that has left the neighborhood in shock following a slate of horrific violence over the last two months, in particular last Sunday night when six people were shot, one fatally, in separate incidents within 35 minutes in Mattapan, Dorchester, and Hyde Park. In Mattapan, Sunday’s brazen homicide of Edwin Pizzaro, 48, and the shooting of another man on Orlando Street next to Almont Park, followed a brazen murder at the same spot in July.

The Greater Mattapan Neighborhood Council (GMNC) spent 30 minutes during their monthly Zoom meeting on Monday talking with Boston Police Deputy Supt. Eddy Crispin. Many on the call wanted to know more about the city’s response, as few are hearing anything from local leaders, they say.

“The disturbing thing here is that while we’re in the midst of all that’s going on all across the city, a lot of people…don’t see or understand the direction we’re going in as a city and as a community,” said Council President Fatima Ali-Salaam. “We hear people say they are speaking on behalf of our community, yet as a resident I have yet to see anyone reach out to us to ask how residents would like to be heard and what it is we need. There’s kind of a void…The violence [on Sunday night] hit a lot of people very hard. It was more than a jolt.”

Added Corinne Kelton: “There are so many different groups forming to address or combat the violence in the city. It would be great if community groups came together to develop a real strategy.”

Crispin weighed in to say that the community policing programming from the 1990s and early 2000s is making a comeback right now, but he suggested that there is a lack of investment in strengthening families – particularly families with multiple generations who have been involved in criminal activity.

“Many of those out there now, we’re looking at family members and individuals in the second and third generations of people getting involved in crime and the criminal justice system,” he said. “For a long time, we’ve invested in young people, but we’ve not invested a lot in families to steer that violence in a different direction.”

But that is changing under Commissioner Michael Cox, Crispin said, pointing to an influx of recently sworn-in police officers who have been assigned to the B-3 district.

“Hopefully people will see the presence a lot more with those 14 new officers,” he said. “I’ve always said that police cannot be the only ones to solve the problem. It’s important we get community members involved in this, too…It’s really about having a collaborative effort to make people feel more safe in their community.”

To that end, Sadiki Kambon of Nubian Square said a grass-roots effort known as ‘Black Men Defend’ has been established there and it would like to expand to Mattapan, something state Rep. Russell Holmes and Crispin agreed would be a great start toward community solutions.

“We’re not talking about going out and being crazy but going out and interacting with our young folks,” said Kambon. “The bottom line is we have to do more than get the police here. We as Black men need to get out and do our job to help ensure the safety of our community.”

It was suggested by some on the call that good first step in moving on the situation would be to hold an event to introduce the community to the 14 new officers just arriving at B-3. Others asked why the police haven’t met with the Rev. Kevin Peterson, who has been vocal in the media about recent violence. Though some at the meeting said Peterson’s words didn’t represent them, Crispin said he has been willing to meet with all clergy, including Peterson.

“There may be some people who constantly talk about not meeting with the BPD,” Crispin said. “I hear this person talking about that a lot – Kevin Peterson. I gave my card to him last week and am waiting to hear from him.”

Ali-Salaam concluded the meeting by telling Crispin and other officers that they are wanted in community spaces in Mattapan. “We need to hear from you all the time, not just when there’s a fire,” she said. “We invite you into our spaces all the time.”

The GMNC is also preparing to write to city leaders asking for a response and solution-oriented strategy to the problem of violence.