After a career in law enforcement, Keene prosecutor Eli Rivera knows the role that a strong community plays in keeping children out of trouble. A former Republican, Eli has switched parties because he believes that Barack shares his view of the importance of community in paving the road to opportunity.
“Prevention of crime starts in the home and neighborhood,” said Eli, “and as a government and community, there is a lot more that we can be doing.”
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The native of Puerto Rico joined the Keene Police Department following a stint with the U.S. Coast Guard, where he worked in search and rescue. As a police officer, Eli worked with community leaders and local schools to ensure law enforcement was viewed as a partner, not an adversary.
“I wanted the youth in my areas to know that I was there to look after them,” he recalled. “If the community is engaged to keep kids out of trouble and working towards something, we can give parents a great deal of help.”
The father of three became a community leader in Keene as well, joining the local school board and participating in the public discourse on the issues that directly affect families in his neighborhood. As a school board member, Eli learned about the challenges of providing a quality education. He believes that good schools are a critical component of crime prevention, and can set children on a path towards greater opportunity.
Eli believes that Barack knows the value of community first-hand from his time as a community organizer on the South Side of Chicago. “He’s lived what we have, and he knows that strong families and strong neighborhoods are the foundations of future success.”
The former Republican now operates his own Obama site, ObamaNH.com, and is working to organize Keene for Barack.
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