Mayor Domenic J. Sarno following up on his enhanced public safety announcement and initial meeting with community partners and religious leaders last week, is expanding the initial working group and will conduct a meeting of a cross section of community and religious stakeholders relating to an uptick of gun violence. The purpose of this meeting is to re-evaluate methods and solutions to mitigate the recent uptick of gun violence.
Mayor Sarno states, “We must consider all options available to us and re-evaluate how our resources are being utilized. Following up on my enhanced public safety announcement of increased police presence and my initial meeting with community partners and religious leaders, my administration will convene this expanded working group meeting on Tuesday, July 11th. There will be a public briefing following the meeting.”
Community partners, religious leaders and city officials invited to participate include:
- Bishop Talbert Swan, President of the Greater Springfield NAACP
- Brother Johnnie Muhammad, The Mission Inc. – City’s street outreach program
- Solomon Baymon, Director for ROCA Western Massachusetts – Re-entry program and City Clean Sweep Initiative partner
- Archbishop Timothy Paul Baymon, Christian Cathedral
- Francena Brown, Families Against Violence
- Shannon Rudder, President and CEO, MLK Family Services
- Vinny Borello, Executive Director, Springfield Boys and Girls Club
- Keshawn Dodds, Executive Director, Boys and Girls Family Center
- Jose Claudio, COO, New North Citizens Council
- Pastor Eli Serrano, Restoration City Church
- Wes Jackson, Executive Director, South End Community Center
- Steve Winn, President and CEO, BHN – City’s / Springfield Police Department’s Mental Health street outreach partner
- Pastor Steven Williams, President, & April Robinson, Educator, JC Williams Community Center
- Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi – Re-entry Programs
- State Representative Carlos Gonzalez, Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security
- City Councilor Lavar Click-Bruce, Chair of the City Council’s Public Safety Committee
- City Councilor Maria Perez
- Helen Caulton-Harris, Commissioner of Health and Human Services
- Cheryl Clapprood, Police Superintendent
- Daniel Warwick, Superintendent Springfield Public Schools
- Judi Crowell, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer
- Patrick Sullivan, Executive Director of Parks, Buildings and Recreational Management
Original source can be found here.
