Photo Courtesy of Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
“We need a holistic approach to confront” gun violence head-on, said Mayor Adams.
By Michael V. Cusenza
Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday announced the formation of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, a comprehensive multiagency, cross-program effort to address the root causes of gun violence and prevent shootings before they take place. The new task force will be co-chaired by Man Up! Inc. CEO and founder A.T. Mitchell and Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright. Members will include First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phillip Banks, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David Banks, Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz, and members of various city agencies.
“Gun violence is a struggle that has encompassed every part of our society, so we must do all we can to keep guns off our streets,” said Mayor Adams. “We need a holistic approach to confront it head-on, which is why I am today announcing the formation of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. We are going to help identify and advance upstream solutions to prevent gun violence by engaging with the communities most impacted by violence, identifying gaps in services, and getting them the resources to build them out. New York City is going to lead the way to keep guns off our streets.”
Members of the task force will meet regularly to solve problems in real time and ensure that all agencies are held accountable for making and keeping New York neighborhoods safe. Its scope includes engaging with communities most impacted by violence, identifying gaps in services and programming, expanding programs with a proven record of success into underserved areas, and fostering greater interagency and government/community collaboration. The task force will also work in close partnership with the Crisis Management System (CMS), which deploys credible messengers to mediate and de-escalate disputes before they become violent. CMS providers have proven to be successful in driving down gun violence in areas where they have been deployed: Between 2010 and 2019, program areas have seen a 40 percent reduction in shootings, compared to 31 percent in other areas.
Mayor Adams also announced that each city agency shall designate an anti-gun violence liaison, delivering on a key plank of his Blueprint to End Gun Violence, unveiled earlier this year. These liaisons will serve as the key point-of-contact for the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force and CMS providers and will take immediate action to resolve any gun violence challenges related to their agency.
“Gun violence seems like it is on the rise across the country, and more specifically right here in our own city. And as we enter the summer months crime usually increases this time of year,” said State Sen. Joe Addabbo, Jr. (D-Howard Beach). “That is why I support Mayor Eric Adams’ NYC Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. I am hopeful that by working with multiple agencies directly in the communities most affected by gun violence, this Task Force can work on not only helping those who have been impacted by gun violence, but also work on getting to the root causes of gun violence and better protect New Yorkers. I look forward to working with the Mayor’s administration on the city-level and Governor Kathy Hochul’s administration on the state-level to better address and handle gun violence across New York.”
