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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGVPC Minutes 09.16.25 Gun Violence Prevention Commission Noel C. Taylor Municipal Building 215 Church Avenue, SW, Room 364 Roanoke, Virginia 24011 540.853.2333 CITY OF ROANOKE Gun Violence Prevention Commission Minutes Tuesday, September 16, 2025 5:30pm Melrose Library 2502 Melrose Ave NW Roanoke, VA 24017 The purpose of the Gun Violence Prevention Commission is to study the issue of gun violence in the community, recommend strategies for prevention, intervention, and response to reduce incidents of gun violence and address its effects on the community, and to work with citizens and community partners in developing programs that create meaningful opportunities for positive non-violent pathways for health and wholeness. 1. Welcome The meeting was called to order by the ex officio Chair at 5:30 PM by Catherine Koebel 2. Roll Call Commissioners Present: Amy Hodge, Robert Lamour, Valerie Koeppel, Catherine Koebel, Elliot Major, Jared Rose, Josh Johnson Commissioners Absent: Kathy Cohen, Tim Harvey Youth Commissioner Absent: Nazir Jackson City Council Members Present: Phazhon Nash, City Council Member Absent: Mayor Joe Cobb City Staff Present: Chris Roberts (and staff), Deputy Chief Puckett, Lloyd Merchant (and staff) 3. Approval of Minutes Motion to approve the May meeting minutes was made by Jared Rose and seconded by Robert Lamour. The motion carried unanimously. 4. New Business Updates None 5. Old Business Working Group Updates Community and Neighborhood Engagement Lead: Amy Hodge • Perfecting Unity Church event, Saturday 9/13/2025, engaged 100 individuals, shared RESET resources and 30 gun locks. Root Causes Working Group Lead: Elliot Major • Working on framework on literacy program. Education and Research Working Group Lead: Tim Harvey • Catherine Koebel presented notes and best practices for future events. • Twelve (12) trees were planted through the Planting Peace Project. • Seven (7) families with unsolved cases remain on the waitlist 6. Presentations Roanoke Police Department Presenter: Deputy Chief Adam Puckett • Gun Violence Statistics Report September 2025 report presented • Gun-Related Crime Statistics (2025 YTD): • 8 gun-related homicides (up 1 from 2024) • 14 aggravated assaults (down one YTD) • Case Status: • Active: 4 • Closed with Arrest: 12 • Clearance Rate: 70% • Commissioners discussed suicide statistics, Josh Johnson suggested identifying an studies on suicide cases, similar to VDH; Family and Intimate Partner Violence Fatality Review Board • Jared Rose requested more 988 suicide hotline cards to disseminate • Rev. Hodge spoke about an increase in suicide of young black men Community Response Bureau Presenter: Tania Castro-Romero • Presented “Building Strong Relationships with Communities” Programming • “Each One Teach One”: Program initiative aiming to empower women with knowledge, tools, and resources • “Love Where You Live”: initiative to improve communities through clean-up activities and public space improvements • “Aging with Attitude” • “Shop with a Cop” • “Community Leaders” • “RPD Pros”: Mentorship program and provide opportunities for kids to learn new sports • “RPD Family Movie Night Series” • “Academia Hispana”: Empowering Hispanic communities with resources, knowledge, education on laws Youth Gang Outreach Presenter: Chris Roberts • Introduced full-time staff member Marcus Wilson. • Provided updates on current client list: • 29 total clients: 15 high-risk, 9 mid-risk, 5 low-risk (based on risk assessment). • August activity report: • 31 hours in court per month • 170 hours of transportation assistance • 48 hours in detention center (program delivery at Coyner Springs) • 12 hours in school meetings • 104 hours in “Self Mastery” curriculum • Will provide a full update and report to commissioners. • Invited GVPC to meet at Norwich Park Office following its October 1st opening RESET Initiative Presenter: Lloyd Merchant • Recent Community Responses: • RESET Monthly Executive Summary-August 2025 Presented • Showed video of podcast of “Voices from the Neighborhood” podcast • “Champions of Change” Boxing officially opened on July 31, 2025 • Program Highlights: • Champions of Change boxing academy opened Thursday, July 31st • Completing Monthly Movie nights in different quadrants. • Peggy Fleming-does a monthly walk in an area that needs to be picked up and RESET participates in this Love where you Live. • Weekly visits through YMCA partnership PIVOT/GVI Presenter: Joshua Johnson • Social Services PIVOT meeting 8-27-2025 7. Additional New Business • Josh raised concerns that meeting times, minutes, and attachments have not been uploaded online or “OnBoardGov” • He requested an update from the City Manager’s Office regarding where minutes, agendas, and attachments can be accessed. • City Council GVPC presentation; Monday October 20th • GVPC Stakeholder meeting October 21st, The Hill Church, 1026 Lafayette Blvd NW Meeting adjourned at approximately 7:15 pm. Next Meeting: Stakeholder meeting October 21,2025 at 5:30 pm at The Hill Church, 1026 Lafayette Blvd NW