PEACE members chanted, held signs and prayed. They said too many first-time offenders are arrested for committing minor crimes. Instead, they want a lot more people to be put into a diversion program.
It took some time to adjust, and even still, I wake up in the middle of the night because I do not remember where I am, Marley said. If I am honest, I am preparing for the worst to happen always. I m so used to being unsettled because everything in my life has been out of my control.
Marley, although a resident of Lakeland, was one of several people to speak at the April 12 Winter Haven City Commission meeting. The Polk Ecumenical Action Council for Empowerment, commonly known as PEACE, gathered speakers to call for more affordable housing in the city and a commitment from commissioners to allocate more funds toward the long-term issue.