WEBVTT >> WE ARE FOCUSING ON UNITING PEOPLE WITHIN CENTRAL ALABAMA BY TACKLING SOME OF THE TOUGH TOPICS THAT DIVIDE US. SHERI: THESE ARE HARD CONVERSATIONS YOU MAY HAVE BEEN HAVING WITH NEIGHBORS OR FEEL NEED TO BE DISCUSSED OPENLY AND HONESTLY TO FOSTER COMMUNITY. GUY: IAN? IAN: TONIGHT WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT CRIME. NO NEIGHBORHOOD IS IMMUNE. TOO OFTEN WE HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO SAY POLICE NEED TO DO MORE OR SOMEONE SHOULD DO SOMETHING. WE FOUND THAT SOMEONE, SEVERAL PEOPLE, WHO WEEK AFTER WEEK ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE. I CAUGHT UP WITH THEM TO SEE HELPING TO MAKE THEIR COMMUNITY SAFER. >> WE GIVE YOU THE HONOR, THE GLORY, AND THE PRAISE. IT IS IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY. AMEN. >> ALL RIGHT. WE'RE GOING THIS WAY. IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND DR. GREGORY CLARK. >> WE ARE PEACEMAKERS. IAN: EVEN WHEN IT'S COLD HE AND SEVERAL OTHERS WALK THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG PEARSON AND LISTENING. >> WE MEET THEM ON THEIR TERMS. WE TALK WITH THEM ABOUT THE DAILY LIFE. IAN: THEY STARTED THESE WALKS EARLY LAST YEAR IN RESPONSE TO CRIME. >> I CALLED THE LEADERS OF FAITH ACTION AND SAID CAN WE MEET AND TALK AND PUT SOME CAN DO ANYTHING? THAT'S HOW THIS DISCUSSION BEGAN. IAN: A YEAR LATER HERE YOU ARE. >> STILL DOING IT. IAN: PEACEMAKERS IS MADE UP OF 13 DIVERSE CONGREGATIONS IN THE AREA. SOME WEEKS THEY HAVE 25 TO 30 PEOPLE JOINING THEM COVERING AS MANY AS THREE STREETS AT ONE TIME. A YEAR AFTER THE FIRST FEW SEEING RESULTS. >> TRASH IS BEING CLEANED UP AND IT'S LOOKING MORE LIKE PEOPLE ACTUALLY COME OUT TO MEET AND GREET AND TALK WITH US NOW AND THERE IS NOT AS MUCH GUNFIRE THAT GOES ON DAY AND NIGHT. IAN: HE SAYS THE RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY. WHAT WAS ONCE SKEPTICISM HAS TURNED INTO SMILES AND OPEN ARMS. >> I DIDN'T KNOW Y'ALL WAS COMING THROUGH TONIGHT. >> WHAT ARE THE CHANGES YOU'VE IN THE LAST YEAR? >> THE FRIENDLINESS AND OPENNESS. LIKE THE RECEPTION. SOME ARE UPSET IF WE DON'T MAKE IT. >> THEY LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU NEXT WEEK. >> RIGHT. LOOKING TO PARTNER WITH THE CITY OF BIRMINGHAM TO GIVE LEADERS INSIGHT INTO WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WORK TOGETHER TOWARD SOLUTIONS. >> IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FAITH COMMUNITY TO DO WHAT WE ARE DOING TO KNOW THE COMMUNITY THEY ACTUALLY EXIST IN. WE MAY NOT CHANGE THINGS ALL OVER THE CITY OR AROUND THE WORLD OR DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE STATE BUT EVERY CHURCH OUGHT TO BE THE ENGINE IN THIS COMMUNITY AND NOT THE COMBOOSE. IAN: DR. CLARK TELLS ME THE WORK MAY BE A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHERS. THEY ARE LOOKING TO EXPAND CHAFTERS IN THE EAST SIDE AND NORTH SIDE OF BIRMINGHAM TO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY. GUY: IT HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A YEAR. HOW DID THEY GET STARTED? IAN: A CRIME REPORT CAME OUT AND HE TOOK A LOOK AT CRIME NUMBERS FROM 2017 AND THOUGHT I GOT TO DO SOMETHING. HE TALKED WITH OTHER FAITH LEADERS AND THEY KIND OF GOT TOGETHER AND THOUGHT HOW CAN WE GET OUT AND DO SOMETHING IN OUR COMMUNITY? IT STARTED WITH THAT CONVERSATION. SOMETHING WE CAN ALL DO AND IT LED TO THIS PROGRAM JUST OVER THE YEAR MARK. SHERI: A GOOD SIGN WHEN YOU HEAR SOMEONE SAY T