Please read the speech Dicky Mopper presented to the Downtown Rotary luncheon introducing SOS. Terrific speech!

Richard G. Mopper SOS/Rotary Speech September 27, 2006

This is not a political speech, but many of you may recall I have often said – “Crime is not a white problem or a black problem, it is Savannah’s biggest problem”; and unfortunately it still is.

I appreciate the opportunity to speak today on behalf of Save our Savannah. SOS was founded by one of your member’s Martin R. Sullivan – and you know that when M. R. Sullivan speaks, people listen. SOS was born out of tragedy with the single goal of reducing crime and the pain it causes. Martin and his dedicated team are making great strides. The reason Save our Savannah chose the Downtown Rotary Club to make our first major announcement is that we need your support to be successful. Apathy is crimes’ biggest ally and it’s up to all of us in the community to INCITE ACTION! We must keep up the quest to reduce crime, when the statistics are high and when they are low. Crime stops GROWTH and growth is business. When people look on-line this is what they read on Wikipedia: “Savannah today is a city with a high rate of violent crime. The Mayor, Otis Johnson, has held three open forums on this issue. Upscale neighborhoods, African American neighborhoods, and the commercial districts of downtown have been equally impacted by the crime wave. Murder rates have increased 50% since 2004 and other types of crime such as theft have seen similar spikes.” I have passed out web statistics that potential business, residents and visitors view. They show the murder rate in zip code 31401, THE HISTORIC DISTRICT, the seat of government, the tourist center and the financial center of our community at 3 times higher than the national average. Does this encourage people to live, work, or visit our gracious city? These statistics are unacceptable!

Listen to this email I received last week:

“We cannot let this issue die. We have too much at stake. I am scared nothing is going to happen. All the politicians are going to keep putting on their dog and pony show when nothing is getting done. Well, I have a lot at stake here. I want to live in Savannah after college. I don’t mean this in a mean way, but I still have my whole life ahead of me there. How is anyone able to start a business or raise a family in a town where crime rates do not get better? People must start paying attention!” – And folks that’s exactly what Save our Savannah is doing, paying attention, speaking out and taking action.

SOS is not about crime problems; it’s about crime solutions! Today, I am excited about Savannah’s future. 1. First we have a new police chief. New energy and it is up to each one of us to support Chief Berkow. Let him know how excited we are to have new leadership. 2. But even more exciting – Martin and SOS have been meeting with the City to forge a private/public cooperative to place lighting and video cameras in all of Savannah’s 21 squares. It’s important to thank Mayor Johnson and the City Manager for their dedication to eradicate crime and for their support of this ambitious project. To be a success, it will take the City’s support, the continued help of SCAD and a community wide effort spearheaded by the business community.

On behalf of Martin and Save our Savannah, I am thrilled to announce today that Piggy Wiggly and SOS have agreed to co-sponsor the first square. SOS and Piggly Wiggly will donate approximately $30,000.00 and if all goes as planned lights, cameras and hopefully NO ACTION will begin rolling in January of 2007. I want to introduce Bill Hammontree, the Regional Manager of Piggly Wiggly and thank him and Piggly Wiggly.

Save our Savannah needs your support. Join our ranks today and visit our website SaveourSavannah.com. Be prepared to help sponsor one of the squares in phase one of this exciting crime prevention endeavor.

Again many people have notions about what causes crime, but I am absolutely convinced the single largest factor fueling crime in the community, apathy.

Join Save our Savannah and let’s pledge, as Brooks Stillwell once said, “to make Savannah the best place in America to do business and the worst to commit a crime.”