NEW HANOVER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – Port City United, a county department created to help reduce violence, has faced some challenges just a few short months into its existence. In May, an employee at Port City United was arrested and charged with accessory to a murder. Rone’Quia Harris had only been on the job for a week.
“It put a huge stain on us before we were even able to get to do the work,” said Cedric Harrison, director of Port City United. “She was hired a few weeks after me.”
Harrison said the arrest came as a shock as the county did a thorough background check before she was hired.
“During the time, she had a clean background,” Harrison said. “When the county did a background check, she was not pending for an accessory to murder. And then a week later when that happened, we just had to fire her just like any other situation where a county employee gets in trouble.”
The department has also come under scrutiny for hiring gang members. The notion is they know where violence originates from, and the model is derived from evidence-based programs.
Harrison says its a myth to think all gang members are violent.
“I look at gangs like I look at a basketball team. Not everybody is a shooter. Some people don’t even get in the game. Some just wear the jersey.”
Harrison, who is also the founder of Support the Port and CEO of Wilmington N Color, knows first-hand the importance of Port City United’s mission. In February, he was one of four people shot standing outside a home on N.31st St.
All survived, but Harrison was shot in the head and had to undergo intensive surgery. He talked about the incident for the first time since the shooting to WECT’s Frances Weller this week.
Harrison says the mission of Port City United is to provide resources to those prone to violent crimes. He says his department simply can’t go out and take guns off the streets.
“What we’re really trying to do at Port City United because we don’t have the power to be able to take guns out of people’s hands–we’re really just trying to help focus on changing and evolving the mindset of individuals that feel like they need to go get a gun and shoot somebody.”
There are currently 30 employees at Port City United. Harrison says his employees work daily–getting out into the community and sharing the mission. There is also a 24-hour call center.
He says it won’t happen overnight, but he’s committed to the mission of at least reducing gun violence. He says when you’ve survived a shooting like he did, the mission is that much greater.
“When you have that moment of real realization that like this could all end today, every day you wake up after that–its just an extra boost of energy to be appreciative and to put all into the work.”
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