By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
Montgomery County Police Department expands drone program
If you’re outside at night over the next few months in Montgomery County, Md. – the region located just north of the District – and you hear buzzing above your head, have no fear. It’s not a UFO!
A program undertaken by the Montgomery County Police Department, in which they are employing about a dozen drones to improve public safety, has officially launched.
The County counts as one of thousands of public safety agencies across the U.S. now using drones for a variety of public safety purposes. Officials in Montgomery County say their program is designed to send out drones to specific scenes when 911 calls are received. The drones arrive ahead of units responding on the ground and are now being referred to as “first responders.”
On July 17, after the public shared mostly positive views in a community meeting about drones inside of the Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School auditorium, the decision was made to expand the drone program into Bethesda, Md.
The County currently has a pilot drone program helping police fight crime in “real time” in Silver Spring and Wheaton. Officially, the program is called the “Drone as First Responder” Program – “DFR” for short – and it’s used to make it easier for police to secure real time information on incidents.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich (D), speaking at the meeting last week, said the drones have made a real difference and that he’s pleased that the program continues to be expanded throughout the county.
Prince George’s County teacher keeps job in wake of hair braiding TikTok video
When Marquise White shared a TikTok of his students taking his braids out during class on May 5, he could not have anticipated that the video would go viral – garnering more than 7.4 million views and 21,000 comments with mixed reactions.
But the video–and the negative backlash which followed– led to an investigation by school district officials, jeopardizing his job and career.
White said his students’ parents approved of his TikToks and when speaking to the press in May, said he believed that he was being attacked and accused of impropriety because “I’m a young, handsome, Black man.”
But according to the school district’s code of conduct, teachers must adhere to “personal boundaries by maintaining proper space” and “demonstrate appropriate behaviors.” Furthermore, teachers are discouraged from recording the faces or voices of students unless the class focuses on career technology or the performing arts.
Now, with classes set to resume in just over a month, White’s case has been dismissed and he will be allowed to return to the classroom in August.
Maryland’s highly touted unemployment rate now higher than Virginia’s
Maryland’s unemployment rate has risen significantly over the past 12 months. In June 2023, it was just 1.9 percent, but has since increased to 2.8 percent.
Meanwhile, Virginia’s unemployment rate remains unchanged at 2.7 percent, which is lower than Maryland’s for the first time in years.
Still, both Maryland and Virginia have unemployment rates below the national average. The national average rose in June to 4.1 percent, up from 3.6 percent a year earlier.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Maryland counts as one of eight states that reported increases in their unemployment rates.
As for the District, when compared to states, Washington, D.C., in June, had the highest unemployment rate at 5.4 percent, followed by both Nevada and California at 5.2 percent.
Hyattsville center among beneficiaries of $2M grant to support Maryland’s homeless youth
Shelters that support youth homelessness in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties have learned that they will receive sorely needed financial assistance. The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently presented a check for $2 million dollars to Maryland’s Youth Homelessness System Improvement.
One beneficiary includes Sasha Bruce Youthwork’s new center, located in Hyattsville, Md., which opened as part of their B-E-Z (be easy) Drop-in Program.
According to Donnell Potts, chief of programs, Sasha Bruce Youthwork, the services offered at the center, which include food, entertainment, basic necessities and case management, are provided with the goal of assisting 250 homeless youth and preventing 50 more from becoming homeless in Prince George’s County.
Each year, an estimated 4.2 million youth and youth adults experience homelessness in the U.S., 700,000 of whom are unaccompanied minors – which means they are not part of a family or accompanied by a parent or guardian. In 2023, one in 30 youth ages 13-17 experienced homelessness over a 12-month period in the U.S.
Based on data from the D.C.-based National Network for Youth, instability in their homes forces many youth out onto the streets with child abuse, domestic violence, parental substance use or family conflict among the factors that often lead to youth homelessness.
Meanwhile, specific subpopulations of youth face a higher risk for homelessness: Black youth face an 83 percent increased risk than their white peers; Hispanic youth face a 33 percent increased risk; LGBTQIA+ youth were more than twice as likely to have experienced homelessness; and youth who do not complete high school are 3.5 times more likely to experience homelessness than peers who completed a high school diploma.
Services and shelters throughout Maryland whose primary mission is to assist and support youth who are experiencing homelessness will receive funds from the $2M grant.
Stay tuned.