Shining a Harsh Light On Trinidad Neighborhood

Discussion Policy

Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.

Sheffey was referring to the late 1980s and early 1990s, when cocaine kingpin Rayful Edmond had his base of operation in Trinidad and the city's annual homicide count came close to hitting 500 year after year.

Last year, there were 181 killings.

Robinson chimed in: "As soon as the neighborhood starts changing -- people fixing up these shacks and selling them for $400,000 -- you get police setting up checkpoints and treating those of us who have been living here all along like suspects."

After noticing a group of teenagers hanging out on a corner away from the police checkpoint, he said: "I know many of the kids around here. I probably taught half of them. And I can tell you that the ones who are up to no good are just standing around looking at the police, waiting on them to do what they always do: be here one minute, gone the next."

Dorn was disgusted, too, but not so much with the checkpoint as with the boys milling about in front of his home with their underwear showing.

"Maybe a President Obama could help restore some pride in the black community," he said.

E-mail:milloyc@washpost.com.

< 2