Temple University parents took their son’s protection into their own hands lately by hiring private security to patrol the streets near where he lives as violent crime rates in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, continue to soar.
What’s the Story In Philadelphia?
Jennifer Hedberg told WTXF-TV recently that after prayerfully pondering, she and her husband decided to employ JNS Protection Services, a personal security company, to secure the neighborhood her son lives in. Now, five days a week, the private security detail performs foot and vehicle patrols to make sure the area is secure for students.
“It helps with peace of mind and I feel like if anything ever did happen to him, at least I’ll know I did everything I could,” Hedberg explained to the outlet. “I really get frustrated with prayer hand emojis and all I can do is pray and hope he’s okay. I do those things, but I also needed to do some kind of action.”
The concerned mom stated she intended to do whatever she can to keep her son risk-free after the heartbreaking fatality of fellow Temple College student, 21-year-old Samuel Collington, last fall.
Collington had actually been unloading his car upon returning from a Thanksgiving break with his family members when an armed burglar shot and killed him in a brazen, broad daylight murder. The killer had actually been charged with armed carjacking months previously, yet his charges were dropped by the city’s “progressive” District Attorney. He was another victim of leftist efforts to undermine law enforcement.
“As the weeks and months went by, my son was reporting to me that there were still pretty serious crimes happening in his neighborhood,” Hedberg recalled. “My husband and I put our heads together and decided let’s see if we can get private security.”
That’s when she got in touch with JNS Protection Services and asked the firm to conduct patrols in areas near school where several pupils live. Hedberg insisted she is not attempting to tip on the toes of school security or Philadelphia police. Instead, she only intends to include an additional layer of protection.
Reaction From A Concerned Parents Is Becoming A Legacy
In an Op-Ed piece for the Philadelphia Inquirer, reporter Jenice Armstrong defended Hedberg’s choice, noting that last year, Philly experienced all-time highs in homicides and this year, the numbers are on rate to increase once again. Armstrong noted that only a few weeks before Collington’s death, one more young man, 18-year-old Amir Jones, was killed in a break-in while walking with his girlfriend early one morning near the Temple campus. The reporter included that this isn’t an upper-class helicopter parent situation– the Hedbergs are middle-class parents justifiably worried for their kid’s safety. Hedberg apparently works as a teacher while her husband is used as a field service technician for T-Mobile in suburban Massachusetts.
Now, other parents are participating on the initiative. Armstrong stated the plan was at first to have JNS patrol the areas 3 days a week. However, when other parents heard about the strategy, they stepped in to broaden the patrols to 5 days a week. JNS CEO Jasmine Jackson informed the Inquirer, “These parents need to be able to be [hundreds] of miles away from their child and know that they are going to be able to get home safe. We ride around that perimeter, all throughout the blocks, take pictures and make reports, and just be a deterrent.”
Hedberg has planned to keep funding the operation until her kid’s graduation this springtime, whereupon other moms and dads have vowed to take control of the effort.
H/T TheBlaze
