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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 11, 2023 | The Indian Eye 22

NYC Mayor, Gun Violence Prevention Task Force

Release “A Blueprint For Community Safety”

Blueprint Outlines More Than $485 Million in Investments to Create Safer,

More Resilient Communities

OUR BUREAU
NEW YORK, NY
ew York City Mayor Eric
Adams, First Deputy Mayor
NSheena Wright, and the New
York City Gun Violence Prevention
Task Force have released “A Blue-
print for Community Safety,” outlin-
ing a forward-thinking roadmap with
upstream solutions to address gun vi-
olence throughout the five boroughs.
The report builds upon all the work
the Adams administration has un-
dertaken over the last 18 months to
reduce gun violence by double digits
and culminates months of engage-
ment with communities most impact-
ed by gun violence, including young
people, whose feedback was critical
in shaping the strategies and recom-
mendations that will ensure the city
continues to build on the public safety in our most impacted communities, ing on prevention and intervention this cause as we build a better future
gains made since January 2022. support our young people and get strategies that use a public health for New York where our kids can
The Gun Violence Prevention them on the right path, and activate and community development mod- play safely, and parents have peace
Task Force was formed in June 2022. every level of city government to pri- el to address the root causes of gun of mind.”
Co-chaired by First Deputy Mayor oritize prevention-based approaches violence. To that end, the task force “Every year, we lose too many
Sheena Wright and Man Up! Inc. to public safety. This plan would not identified seven strategies in the re- lives because of senseless gun vio-
Founder A.T. Mitchell, the task force have been possible without our co- port based on months of commu- lence that could be averted,” said
represents a multi-agency, cross-sec- chairs, First Deputy Mayor Sheena nity engagement. These strategies New York Attorney General Letitia
tor effort to address the root causes Wright and Man Up! Founder A.T. encompass new and existing invest- James. “I applaud Mayor Adams
of gun violence and develop recom- Mitchell, as well as the more than ments, totaling over $485 million, to for doubling down on his commit-
mendations to promote long-term 1,500 New Yorkers whose ideas and offer early interventions for young ment to public safety and investing
safety across all communities. As part input shaped these recommenda- people, increase employment and in targeted and community-driven
of this effort, more than 50 members tions. The work we do together will entrepreneurship opportunities, im- measures to make communities saf-
of the task force, representing 20 save lives and create a stronger, saf- prove housing security, provide eas- er. The mayor’s plan builds on the
city agencies, engaged roughly 1,500 er, more livable city for all.” ier access to public benefits, bolster work that we have been doing to
community residents over the course “As co-chair of the Gun Violence community institutions, foster con- take down organized gun trafficking
of spring 2023 through community Prevention Task Force, our goal has nections to mental health services, rings, go after gun companies, and
convenings and youth town halls. been on traveling upstream, focus- and strengthen police-community defend common-sense gun laws and
“Public safety is not only a pre- ing on how we can stop people from relations. will help us address the root of gun
requisite, but the pathway to prosper- picking up guns in the first place,” An additional $1.5 million will go violence. New Yorkers deserve to live
ity. It is what we have campaigned, said First Deputy Mayor Wright. towards engagement and evaluation in communities free of gun violence
and what we have delivered. Overall, “This blueprint is a product of cross to build an infrastructure to measure and we will continue to fight every
crime is down across the city year to agency collaboration, engagement progress on the previous strategies. day to make that a reality.”
date, and our numbers continue to across all levels of government, and, Finally, the state contributed $6 mil- According to the report, ap-
trend in the right direction. The work most importantly, direct conversa- lion for the overall blueprint. proximately 92 percent of total gun
of public safety is never done and tions with the most impacted com- “Stopping gun violence is a col- violence in New York City is concen-
even a single loss of life to gun vio- munities. Together, we have unveiled lective responsibility, which is why trated within 30 precincts across the
lence is a tragedy,” said Mayor Ad- a blueprint that meets the urgency of the city and state will continue work- five boroughs. Six of these precincts
ams. “Today, we are taking our efforts the moment and delivers a path for- ing hand in hand to make our com- — representing 25 percent of shoot-
to end gun violence to the next level ward to make public safety a reality munities safer and create a future ing incidents and 39 percent of con-
with this new ‘Blueprint for Commu- for each and every community.” where all New Yorkers can thrive,” firmed shots fired citywide in 2022
nity Safety’ — a more than $485 mil- The recommendations advanced said New York Governor Kathy Ho- — are being prioritized for new and
lion dollar plan that will double down in the report represent a holistic ap- chul. “I’m thankful for Mayor Ad- expanded investments recommend-
on our public safety efforts, invest proach to community safety, focus- ams’ partnership and commitment to ed in the report.

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