Statement from Speaker Adams on the New York City Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s “A Blueprint for Community Safety”

 

“For decades, our communities have experienced the debilitating impacts of gun violence, which robs New Yorkers of their lives and futures, especially those living in neighborhoods that continue to suffer from years of disinvestment. Achieving public safety requires deep levels of sustained funding for proven solutions that strengthen communities most impacted by violence and support their resilience – through healthcare, housing, mental health support, economic and educational opportunities, and violence prevention. The New York City Gun Violence Prevention Task Force’s “Blueprint for Community Safety” puts forth many thoughtful strategies that can begin to tie together efforts towards our collective goals of reducing violence and keeping us all safe. We cannot overlook the victims of crime and traumatized communities left behind by violence in the most impacted neighborhoods – their access to victim services and trauma recovery is imperative to stop cycles of violence, but has too often not been prioritized by government’s public safety efforts. As a city, we must remain committed to consistently delivering the necessary investments for our communities to share in the safety that all New Yorkers deserve, but have not always been afforded.”