Leon County’s new Council on the Status of Men and Boys is taking the next step in its efforts to curb gun violence. It’s trying to get buy-in from the service providers who work with at-risk young people and their families. Those key stakeholders came together on Wednesday.
More than 100 people gathered in a meeting room at the Leroy Collins Leon County Public Library, where Leon Sheriff Walt McNeil described gun violence as a public health issue. He said it necessitates a community-wide violence intervention plan.
“And it’s from that perspective that we are embarking upon trying to address the issues that impact our children before other lives are lost," McNeil said. "Unfortunately, each year we lose something on the magnitude of 20 to 25 to 30 young people in our community from gun violence. And we can do something about that.”
Royle King became the Council’s director last August. It received a nearly $1.5 million federal grant to begin developing a strategic plan and executing it. Part of that plan includes engaging more community partners.
“All of our local governmental agencies have come to the table and invested in this and have committed to being a part of this journey until the end of time, really,” King said.
The Council’s work is happening in tandem with city efforts to reduce gun violence. The city commission has allocated $1 million per year for five years, starting this year.
