New York City Mayor Eric Adams was joined by city officials and New York Governor Kathy Hochul in unveiling their approach to tackling gun violence.
The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Blueprint outlines more than $485 million in investments to use a public health and community development approach to address violence caused by firearms. It prioritizes investments and resources for six precincts across the city that reported 25% of shootings and 39% of shots fired incidents last year.
“We’ve buried too many Black and Brown boys, particularly boys, the number one cause of death for Black boys is homicide, the number one cause,” said Attorney General Letitia James.
A 20-agency force, including the NYPD, identified seven strategies to pursue, including:
- Early intervention
- Housing
- Navigation and benefits
- Community vitality
- Employment and entrepreneurship
- Trauma-informed care
- Community and police relations
“Public safety is not only a prerequisite, but the pathway to prosperity. It is what we have campaigned, and what we have delivered. Overall, crime is down across the city year to date, and our numbers continue to trend in the right direction. The work of public safety is never done and even a single loss of life to gun violence is a tragedy,” Adams said.
The plan also sets aside $2.6 million for safety initiatives that strengthen the relationship between community members and law enforcement.
