Mayor Eric Adams announced Thursday the formation of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, a multiagency, cross-program effort to address the root causes of gun violence and prevent shootings before they take place.
The new task force will be co-chaired by Man Up! Inc. CEO and founder A.T. Mitchell and Deputy Mayor for Strategic Initiatives Sheena Wright.
“I am honored to co-chair this new task force to zero in on the root causes of gun violence and put forward meaningful solutions,” said Mitchell. “Mayor Adams has become an important voice in the national conversation around gun violence, and particularly how it impacts cities like New York. I look forward to working in collaboration with him, our deputy mayors, agency leaders, and Crisis Management teams, who do amazing work every day to save lives, to deepen these efforts.”
The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force will convene leadership from several city agencies, including the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), the New York City Department of Social Services (DSS), the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA), and numerous others.
Members of the task force will meet regularly to solve problems in real time and ensure that all agencies are held accountable for making and keeping New York neighborhoods safe. Its scope includes engaging with communities most impacted by violence, identifying gaps in services and programming, expanding programs with a proven record of success into underserved areas, and fostering greater interagency and government/community collaboration.
The task force will also work in close partnership with the Crisis Management System (CMS), which deploys credible messengers to mediate and de-escalate disputes before they become violent.
“Gun violence is a struggle that has encompassed every part of our society, so we must do all we can to keep guns off our streets,” said Adams. “We need a holistic approach to confront it head-on, which is why I am today announcing the formation of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. This task force will be co-led by Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and A.T. Mitchell and will ensure that community safety is every agency’s responsibility — not just that of first responders.
Members of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force will include First Deputy Mayor Lorraine Grillo, Deputy Mayor for Public Safety Phillip Banks, Deputy Mayor for Operations Meera Joshi, Deputy Mayor for Workforce Development Maria Torres-Springer, Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom, New York City Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell, New York City Department of Education (DOE) Chancellor David Banks, Chief Housing Officer Jessica Katz, and members of various city agencies.