HomeMy WebLinkAboutStudy Committee to Reduce Gun Violence Minutes 021221Study Committee to Reduce Gun Violence
Minutes
Friday, February 12, 2021 – 10:00 am
Via Zoom
1. Welcome – Shakira Williams, Chair
2. Roll Call – Taisha Steele, Secretary
Present: Shakira Williams, Taisha Steele, Decca Knight, Rev. David Jones, Stacey
Sheppard, Hannah Oakes, Rev. Tim Harvey, Joe Cobb
3. Approval of Minutes from January 8, 2021 meeting. Stacey Sheppard moved approval of
the minutes. Joe Cobb seconded. Motion passed.
4. Data Update from Roanoke Police Department. IStar Senior Crime Analyst Alisha
Morrison presented first of year data on incidents of gun violence.
5. Follow-up Questions regarding Data Update
6. Updates and Action Items from Working Groups
Safer Neighborhoods:
• Rev. Tim Harvey have a brief history of the Little Blue Truck reading program and
shared the newly produced video presentation of Little Blue Truck, read by
community leaders. The video will be shared throughout elementary schools in
the Roanoke City Public Schools.
• Budget Item: Tim Harvey made a motion to reimburse NuFocus Media for $500
in the production of the Little Blue Truck Video. Joe Cobb seconded the motion.
The motion was approved.
Education:
a. Decca Knight announced the Positive Impact Curriculum Pilot Program in
partnership with Family Service of Roanoke Valley and requested funds from the
Study Committee budget for training and student fees.
b. Budget Item: Joe Cobb made a motion to designate $4,000.00 for Positive Action
training of youth partner organizations. Stacey Sheppard seconded the motion.
The motion was approved.
c. Budget Item: Hannah Oakes made a motion to designate $15.00 per child for
implementation of the program (30 children = $450). Shakira Williams seconded
the motion. The motion was approved.
Gang Violence Reduction and Incarceration Recidivism:
• Kathy Cohen gave an update on efforts to finalize our Comprehensive Gang
Violence Reduction Model.
City Services and Rapid Response:
• Shakira Williams reported that the group will continue finalizing the Rapid
Response Resource Flyer
Marketing and Communication:
• Joe Cobb reported that a second Strategic Marketing Planning Session will be
held on February 26, 2021 – 12:30-2:30 pm, facilitated by Chris Turnbull.
7. Working Group Break Out Sessions and Reports:
Safer Neighborhoods (Nicole Ross, Rev. Tim Harvey)
Safer Neighborhoods Committee
In attendance: Amazetta Anderson, Tim Harvey, Robyn Mitchell, Hannah Oakes, Betsy Whitney
• Mobile Art Project
o Anita Price who will help to organize a meeting with The NAACP Youth Council,
Youth Services Citizens Board and the Jack and Jill Club. The purpose will be to
share the pledge of non-violence and present the survey questions about safe
neighborhoods.
o Anita suggested that we connect with Wayne Leftwich as he may have data
collected from an earlier city survey concerning perceptions of neighborhood
safety.
o Meetings with TAP youth programs will be scheduled as well.
o We will research the costs associated with the GIS software used in the Arlington
project
• Little Blue Truck
o We will speak to the school system to see what type of age-appropriate material
they may need to introduce the video to their students
• Possibilities of connecting with youth:
o Invite a group to work in the community garden at 6th and Loudon. Learning to
cultivate and nurture nature can teach that life must be protected, not
destroyed. Opportunities exist to hold book-readings or skits.
o Check out this site by #Enough for a potential project about
reducing gun violence involving youth, plays and gun violence
https://www.enoughplays.com/reading
• Thoughts on what makes contributes to a safer neighborhood:
o Good lighting, art, greenery, opportunities for engagement, open forums held by
community leaders and law enforcement, trust (Thanks Robyn)
• To Do:
o Tim - Follow-up with Anita’s recommendations
o Betsy – Determine costs associated with the software
o All – visit Amazetta at the community garden one Saturday morning!
Education (Taisha Steele, Decca Knight)
Present: Karen Pillis, Jamie Starkey, Taisha Steele, David Jones, Maynard Keller, Kayla
Mead, Katie Zawaki
Taisha asked for a vote on the following items: 1) $15 per child for implementation of
the Positive Action program for 30 students to equal $450.00; 2) $4,000.00 for training
of partner organizations. Both requests were approved
• Our pilot programs will be at the West End, Boys and Girls Club, Presbyterian
Community Center and will be conducted by Family Services
• 30 kids from these 3 locations
• May bring in CAFE or Community Youth Programs as we move forward
• Currently doing the Elementary Curriculum with after school programs and will begin
Middle school lessons
• Family Services no longer has the Middle School curriculum
o So we will be asking our Positive Action contact for a few sample lessons
• What would we like to see from the pilot?
o Survey at the end of the pilot with the staff members and students
Survey around areas of concern
o Do the Positive Action lessons as written
o Two 30 minute pilots with stacked lessons
o For the pilot there is United Way funding to cover costs
o Additional asks for funding are for after the pilot
o Ask the youth to review the lessons
o Pilot conducted over 2 months
Reducing Gang Violence and Recidivism (Rabbi Kathy Cohen, Joe Cobb)
Joe Cobb summarized an overview of the conversation held on the current realities of gang
culture in Roanoke and the insights of several Virginia localities who joined the meeting to
share about their programs.
City Services and Rapid Response (Shakira Williams, Stacey Sheppard)
Shakira Williams shared that the working group is working to complete the Rapid Response
Resource flier for distribution and will be scheduling an evening meeting.
8. Next Steps and Meeting Dates:
Study Committee December Meeting – Friday, March 12, 2021 – 10:00 am
Trauma Basics Workshop – Taisha Steele, Facilitator
9. Adjournment