SALAMANCA, N.Y. (WKBW) — There is a growing concern over the illegal drug trade in Salamanca and members of a group called Seneca and Salamanca Mothers Against Drugs, or SSMAD, are taking matters into their own hands.
Members of SSMAD said that certain homes in the city are being taken over by drug dealers and used as a haven for illegal activity.
The group is pointing out these houses and putting a spotlight on the issue.
Earlier Monday we brought you the voices of members of the group.
"Over the last couple of years we've really noticed an infiltration by the outside," said Jody Clark, who's lived in Salamanca for years. "Bringing in drugs and it's changing our people."
On Monday night members of the group attended a meeting with the Salamanca Police Commission where they expressed their concerns.
"Enough is enough" was the consensus at the meeting.
"This is the stuff that's killing people; fentanyl, heroin, meth. Stuff that actually is affecting people. They'll never have their original life back because it does change your brain," Jody Clark with SSMAD said before the meeting. "We just want to know why they're doing it. They show up on site with us and they're always saying, 'make sure you're abiding by all of the laws' and they're focused on the noise ordinance and graffiti because I like to paint the road with a broken arrow that says drug house."
Clark added that the graffiti is to raise awareness that there is alleged drug activity at the houses and that they pose a danger to the community.
"I have spoken publicly that I am not going to stop doing that. They say it's a graffiti charge and it could be up to a year in jail. I am taking my chances before a judge if they want to charge me," Clark explained.
Chief Jamie Deck of the Salamanca Police Department was not comfortable with going on camera but did send me this statement after we spoke:
"The City of Salamanca Police Department has been assisting with a group of neighborhood protestors that are attempting to resolve a Homelessness and Drug issue. There needs to be trainings so that the group is safe and are within New York State Law. This will be done in the near future."
The training he was referring to is informing the residents how to go about legally enforcing a neighborhood watch and putting a stop to graffiti and spotlights. He said a neighborhood watch should be unarmed and report suspicious activity to police.
I also contacted City of Salamanca Mayor Sandy Magiera who told me via email that she too would like to dissolve this problem but has trouble with help from several agencies at the state and county level.
You can read her statement below:
"Thank you for reaching out to me over this issue. I too would like to dissolve this problem but I have reach out for help from several agencies, The governor's office, county representatives and they too don't really have any suggestions and then they give me other agencies to reach out to. I wish I had a quick fix for this but as the agencies say it will take time. I do understand the residents frustration I too am also, but I am working on finding help. We believe in the SSMAD cause but maybe not their way of addressing it. I do think we all need to work together not against each other to come up a solution. I know they have had neighborhood watch meetings and some Wards already have theirs in action. I have turned in homes that squatters are in and have them boarded up and sometimes they rip off the boards and I have had the city workers go and board up again. Also it was on another station of a homeless encampment on Main Street and I had our codes officer contact the owner of the building and within two days it was all taken down and cleaned up. the Seneca Nation has also helped with taking down encampments, again work together."
The next police commission meeting is on September 16 at 4:30 p.m. The meetings take place every third Monday of each month.
