By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Saying that like many Providence residents, he knows friends and neighbors who have been touched by gun violence, Mayor Jorge Elorza appointed a permanent advisory council on the issue.
“Many of these crimes, many of them are preventable if we have a community-wide approach to preventing them and take that holistic approach,” said Elorza as he signed an executive order establishing the Mayor’s Advisory Council to Reduce Gun Violence in his City Hall office Tuesday morning.
“This is not about being tough on crime and reviving that debate from decades ago. This is about getting smarter on crime.”
Elorza was surrounded by top public safety brass and a handful of members of the 11-member council. He said the panel will meet quarterly, reviewing best practices in reducing gun violence, looking for funds to combat gun violence and to study changes in laws, regulations and policies.
Elorza has already called for restrictions on assault rifles, on high-capacity magazines and on guns for perpetrators of domestic violence, joining the national Mayors Against Illegal Guns, an offshoot of the Everytown organization, funded by billionaire former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Elorza said the advisory council will meet quarterly and produce an annual report of its progress.
Elorza said the advisory council will meet quarterly and produce an annual report of its progress.
It’s members include those described by Elorza as ‘outside stakeholders’:
- Sol Rodriguez, Executive Director, Open Doors, Council Chair
- Pilar McCloud, Chairwoman NAACP Youth/College & High School Division
- Tobey Ayers, Executive Director, Rhode Island for Community and Justice
- PJ Fox, Executive Director, Institute for the Study and Practice of Non-violence
- Eugene Monteiro, President and CEO of CCRS
Elorza said his staff members on the council will include:
- Sheila Dormody, Policy Director
- Steven Pare, Commissioner of Public Safety
