Mayor’s First Executive Order Establishes Advisory Council to Reduce Gun Violence
Mayor Jorge Elorza today took action to address the challenge of illegal guns and gun violence in the City of Providence through an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Advisory Council to Reduce Gun Violence.
“Illegal guns and gun violence have a devastating impact on communities and Providence needs to be doing more to address this critical issue,” said Mayor Elorza. “The Mayor’s Advisory Council to Reduce Gun Violence will be a permanent resource dedicated to finding innovative solutions to address the challenge of illegal guns in our city. I look forward to working with them to better engage the community and identify holistic solutions for getting guns off our streets.”
The Council will be a permanent resource to make recommendations on how the city can better address the issue of illegal guns and find innovative solutions to reducing gun violence.
Mayor Elorza’s first executive order cites the significant toll that gun violence takes on families and communities in Providence and nationally. It also highlights the disparate effect gun violence has on youth, victims of domestic violence, and communities of color.
“Providence is a majority-minority city that is committed to providing the safest, strongest and most diverse community and committed to providing healthy opportunities for its youth,” reads the Order.
Council members will be appointed by the Mayor to one year terms and consist of community leaders, Providence Public Safety and administration officials.
Sol Rodriguez, Executive Director of OpenDoors, will serve the committee as Chair. She will be joined by: Pilar McCloud, Chairwoman, NAACP Youth Division; Dr. Tobey Ayers, Executive Director, Rhode Island for Community and Justice; PJ Fox, Executive Director, Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence; Eugene Monteiro, President and CEO, CCRS; in addition to representatives of the Providence Department of Public Safety and the Mayor’s Policy Department.