» 2018 Michael Santiago – “A Syracuse Native”

<script src="/jbcore/juicebox.js"></script><script>new juicebox({baseURL: "/2018_Winners/Santiago/A_Syracuse_Native/",containerId: "juicebox-container",galleryWidth: "100%",galleryHeight: "100%",backgroundColor: "rgba(34,34,34,1)"});</script><div id="juicebox-container"><noscript><h1>A Syracuse Native</h1><p></p><p><img src="images/1058-Mims01.jpg" title="" alt="Police Officer Ahmad Mims is 1 of 8 Black police officers on the force in Syracuse NY, a city whose police department does not fully reflect the population of the city. As a member of the Crime Reduction Team, he's tasked with patrolling a city that has seen an increase in violence and drug activity in recent years. Given the police climate throughout the country with the deaths of unarmed citizens at the hands of police officers, Mims tries to bring a change to a city that at times sees him as the enemy. Officers Ahmad Mims (right) and William Lashomb , members of Syracuse Police Department Crime Reduction Team, talk over the next steps after processing contraband found during a traffic stop. The Crime Reduction Team targets areas with a high-crime areas and heavy gang activity throughout Syracuse." /><br> Police Officer Ahmad Mims is 1 of 8 Black police officers on the force in Syracuse NY, a city whose police department does not fully reflect the population of the city. As a member of the Crime Reduction Team, he's tasked with patrolling a city that has seen an increase in violence and drug activity in recent years. Given the police climate throughout the country with the deaths of unarmed citizens at the hands of police officers, Mims tries to bring a change to a city that at times sees him as the enemy. Officers Ahmad Mims (right) and William Lashomb , members of Syracuse Police Department Crime Reduction Team, talk over the next steps after processing contraband found during a traffic stop. The Crime Reduction Team targets areas with a high-crime areas and heavy gang activity throughout Syracuse.</p><p><img src="images/1059-Mims02.jpg" title="" alt="Officer Ahmad Mims conducts a thorough search of a suspects car, after the arrest of an individual when substance found in his vehicle tested positive for narcotics. Central New York like the rest of the country has seen a spike in heroin and opioid abuse. In 2016, the team confiscated 408 grams of cocaine and 9,515 grams of marijuana and other drugs." /><br> Officer Ahmad Mims conducts a thorough search of a suspects car, after the arrest of an individual when substance found in his vehicle tested positive for narcotics. Central New York like the rest of the country has seen a spike in heroin and opioid abuse. In 2016, the team confiscated 408 grams of cocaine and 9,515 grams of marijuana and other drugs.</p><p><img src="images/1061-Mims4.jpg" title="" alt="Being a Black police officer has its pros and cons. He has been called a “sellout” and has been told things like “you don’t care about us.”It makes me more approachable because they see someone who looks like them and a lot of times that eases people. I’m still going to tell you what’s right and wrong — I’m not going to sugar coat it.” He still sees the level of respect and support for police officers not being the same and wants to see them come back." /><br> Being a Black police officer has its pros and cons. He has been called a “sellout” and has been told things like “you don’t care about us.”It makes me more approachable because they see someone who looks like them and a lot of times that eases people. I’m still going to tell you what’s right and wrong — I’m not going to sugar coat it.” He still sees the level of respect and support for police officers not being the same and wants to see them come back.</p><p><img src="images/1060-Mims5.jpg" title="" alt="During a traffic stop, Officer Mims and Lashomb were able to get information that lead to an illegal gun being taken off the streets. The Crime Reduction Team's biggest priority is to get illegal guns off the streets in hopes of reducing violent crimes that have been on the rise in Syracuse. In 2016, the team successfully removed 108 illegal guns off the streets of Syracuse." /><br> During a traffic stop, Officer Mims and Lashomb were able to get information that lead to an illegal gun being taken off the streets. The Crime Reduction Team's biggest priority is to get illegal guns off the streets in hopes of reducing violent crimes that have been on the rise in Syracuse. In 2016, the team successfully removed 108 illegal guns off the streets of Syracuse.</p><p><img src="images/1063-Mims7.jpg" title="" alt="It hits home for Ahamad when there's a police shooting that involves kids and he tries to analyze and to understand what happened. “ I feel for the parents of the kids . It makes me just want to come home and hug Ayden and not let him go or just talk to him on the phone. No one wants to see a life lost by a police officer or not that's not how they operate. A life lost is a terrible thing.” Spending time with his son is a way for Ahmad release stress a decompress from the things he sees and experiences on the job." /><br> It hits home for Ahamad when there's a police shooting that involves kids and he tries to analyze and to understand what happened. “ I feel for the parents of the kids . It makes me just want to come home and hug Ayden and not let him go or just talk to him on the phone. No one wants to see a life lost by a police officer or not that's not how they operate. A life lost is a terrible thing.” Spending time with his son is a way for Ahmad release stress a decompress from the things he sees and experiences on the job.</p><p><img src="images/1062-Mims8.jpg" title="" alt="Ahmad sees a lot of himself in his son Ayden, and would love for him to follow in his footsteps and become a police officer but it’s something that he believes his son's mother would not approve of, given the climate of how police officers are looked at and the dangers that they face on the job." /><br> Ahmad sees a lot of himself in his son Ayden, and would love for him to follow in his footsteps and become a police officer but it’s something that he believes his son's mother would not approve of, given the climate of how police officers are looked at and the dangers that they face on the job.</p><p><img src="images/1065-Mims09.jpg" title="" alt="After a stabbing ,the Crime Reduction Team, begins to search for the suspect and arrive at his last known residence. A neighbor explains to the officers that earlier in the day he heard loud banging coming from the suspects door but had not seen the suspect since. The Crime Reduction Team is a 12 man unit who use a proactive approach to policing similar to tactics used by police across the country but are viewed as controversial by communities who feel targeted and are being used to generate money for minor offenses." /><br> After a stabbing ,the Crime Reduction Team, begins to search for the suspect and arrive at his last known residence. A neighbor explains to the officers that earlier in the day he heard loud banging coming from the suspects door but had not seen the suspect since. The Crime Reduction Team is a 12 man unit who use a proactive approach to policing similar to tactics used by police across the country but are viewed as controversial by communities who feel targeted and are being used to generate money for minor offenses.</p><p><img src="images/1064-Mims10.jpg" title="" alt="Long hours and back to back calls often leave Ahmad and his partner William with little to no down time and making food runs at gas stations where their frequent visits have made them known to the employees." /><br> Long hours and back to back calls often leave Ahmad and his partner William with little to no down time and making food runs at gas stations where their frequent visits have made them known to the employees.</p><p><img src="images/1066-Mims11.jpg" title="" alt="Communication between police officers and the community is important for police officers to do their job and the community to feel safe. "People want to feel safe. It think that police and community relations are getting better."" /><br> Communication between police officers and the community is important for police officers to do their job and the community to feel safe. "People want to feel safe. It think that police and community relations are getting better."</p><p><img src="images/1067-Mims12.jpg" title="" alt="“We patrol these streets and we want to keep these communities safe. We don’t want the crime up. We don’t want to chase after people every day. We want to help. If everyone came together, I think this city could be flawless almost. As a whole it would work if we just came together.”" /><br> “We patrol these streets and we want to keep these communities safe. We don’t want the crime up. We don’t want to chase after people every day. We want to help. If everyone came together, I think this city could be flawless almost. As a whole it would work if we just came together.”</p></noscript></div>