“There are proven methods and policing strategies that reduce gun violence, we just need leaders at City Hall who make it a priority.”
Year after year, St. Louis continues to be known as one of the most dangerous cities in America, which is a reality we experience everyday. The high levels of gun violence, car break-ins, theft, and reckless driving are not experienced in other parts of the metro area. Most of the country, including people who live just outside the city do not have to constantly live in fear of criminal activity; and we should not have to either.
Many believe that solving root causes like poverty and racial oppression is the key to reducing crime, however, as a law enforcement officer with a criminal justice degree, I believe in advocating for a proven policing strategy: Focused Deterrence.
Focused Deterrence essentially is a two pronged strategy that focuses on the networks of people who commit the most crime, it identifies these networks prosecutes the worst offenders and offers diversion and social services to the networks of individuals surrounding those offenders to break the cycle of violence.
This is a proven strategy that has been successful in reducing gun violence by 20-30% or more in its first year in cities across the country. In St. Louis, this could mean saving 40 to 60 lives lost to gun violence last year alone. Currently, The Department of Justice has grant money available for cities to implement these strategies. There is also an organization founded by the creators of this program that helps cities implement this strategy called the National Network for Safe Communities.
While I support providing resources, competitive pay, and training for our officers, it is important for city hall to hold the Police Department leadership accountable for their crime reduction strategies. As Alderman, I will be the only Alderman with a law enforcement background and will work with our police department to implement proven strategies to reduce gun violence.
Want to know more about Focused Deterrence and its origins? Operation Ceasefire was the original program in Boston , hailed as the “Boston Miracle” homicide rate dropped 63% in one one year with this strategy. Here is an eye opening video with interviews from its originators.
“The Miracle was’t that the crime rate went down. The miracle was that the adults figured out how to collaborate in the interest of young people. That was the miracle.”