Since January, across the nation, 64 children have been injured by gun violence; 26 children have been killed. Every day in the United States, 316 people are shot; 106 are killed. People can agree that enough is enough.
New York Mayor Eric Adams believes that the answer is not to defund the police. His solution is to give the police the tools, training, and the necessary funding to be the partners and protectors communities need. The NYPD needs to work alongside members of the community to help people feel safer through a policing style that treats everyone with dignity and respect.
Congress and Gun Control
Mayor Adams has challenged Congress to pass a budget in February that will provide cities with an additional $300 million for community policing. He believes that more police on the street walking their beat will make communities safer.
Additionally, Mayor Adams is asking Congress to provide $200 million for community violence intervention programs. He visited one in Queens, where community members work directly with the people most likely to commit violent crimes or become victims of gun violence. These programs are capable of reducing violence by up to 60 percent.
The mayor is asking for more funding for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and for U.S. Marshals nationwide. This is part of his comprehensive plan to reduce firearm violence across the country.
What Has Been Implemented?
Currently, New York is cracking down on the flow of firearms into the state. They are targeting those who sell guns to criminals illegally. Gov. Kathy Hochul created an interstate, interagency task force to deter the flow of illegal firearms into New York.
The state is also pursuing those who use “ghost guns” to commit crimes. These are firearms that can be assembled from a kit that cannot be traced because they do not have serial numbers. New York has intensified an initiative against national ghost guns to deter criminals from using these weapons. If someone commits a crime with one of these weapons, not only will state and local prosecutors come after them, they will face federal charges and prosecution.
The City has identified hundreds of repeat offenders of gun violence. Five days a week, local, state, and federal law enforcement officials gather to exchange information collected to apprehend these shooters and keep them off the streets. This group of officials is referred to as the Gun Violence Strategic Partnership. These discussions are so effective, the U.S. Department of Justice is helping other cities to develop this same model.
Community Investments
The mayor and the governor are investing in community activities for the prevention and intervention of gun violence. These interventions include summer and after-school curricula for teens, violence interrupters, jobs for young adults, school counselors, nurses in schools, and mental health and substance abuse treatment programs.
Additionally, Mayor Adams and Gov. Hochul are implementing a pre-release plan for prisoners that would ensure job training, stable housing, and another chance at a better life.
Nonetheless, Congress also needs to do its part by requiring universal background checks, banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in addition to closing loopholes so that guns are kept out of the hands of domestic abusers.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Hawaii Tribune-Herald: Enough. Here’s our plan to solve gun violence; by JOE BIDEN
NYC.gov: Mayor Adams Releases Blueprint to End Gun Violence in New York City
NY Daily News: In Opinion: President Biden writes on gun violence amid new U.S. anti-crime plan, announced during NYC visit; by Joe Biden
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Second Inline Image Courtesy of Michal Spocko’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
