09/07/2024
Mayor Errick D. Simmons Announces "Get Rid of Guns" Campaign and "Empower & Equip" Program
GREENVILLE, Miss. (September 5, 2024) Mayor Errick D. Simmons has officially announced the “Get Rid of Guns” campaign, a multi-year, multi-partner proactive initiative aimed at reducing gun violence and curbing juvenile crime in Greenville, Mississippi. This campaign is a crucial step in promoting safer neighborhoods and protecting the city’s youth.
The “Get Rid of Guns” campaign includes key strategies such as gun buyback programs, community outreach, enhanced law enforcement partnerships, and support for victims and their families. Mayor Simmons emphasized that the campaign seeks to address the root causes of juvenile crime by involving the entire community in the effort to create safer environments.
As a cornerstone of this campaign, Mayor Simmons is introducing the "Empower & Equip" program, a targeted initiative to combat youth violence by combining male mentorship with trade skill development. This program aims to provide young males with the guidance and tools needed to choose positive paths over violence. Stay tuned as the Simmons Administration develops key community-based components to include mentorship, trade skills training, and community engagement to get rid of guns and reduce violence in the community. As a project safe neighborhood (PSN) community, the Simmons Administration will intensify its efforts to reduce violent crime, particularly gun violence, by leveraging federal, state, and local resources, in a coordinated manner.
Mayor Simmons also announces a proposal of a new ordinance aimed at holding parents and guardians more accountable for preventing gun violence, particularly among minors, in Greenville, Mississippi. Simmons emphasizes that the goal of the ordinance is not to punish parents, but rather to encourage greater vigilance and responsibility in preventing youth access to fi****ms. He noted that reducing gun violence in Greenville requires a community-wide effort, and that parental involvement is a critical component of that strategy. This “Get Rid of Guns” Campaign and “Empower & Equip” Program are part of a broader strategy to curve gun violence and juvenile crime in the city, ensuring community safety.
The proposed ordinance was discussed at the Tuesday, September 3rd city council meeting, where Mayor Simmons referenced it as a key measure in his administration’s ongoing efforts to reduce violence and enhance public safety in Greenville.
Statement from Mayor Errick D. Simmons
"As leaders and parents, we have a responsibility to protect our children and our community. This announcement is about prevention—about ensuring that guns do not fall into the hands of our youth and that we all take an active role in making Greenville safer by working collectively with all our community stakeholders, courts, schools, churches, parents, law enforcement (i.e. Greenville Police Department , Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney’s Office State, FBI, MBN, DOJ, and all other law enforcement agencies), and all levels of government.”
Greenville Police Department Chief Marcus R. Turner:
As Police Chief, I fully support the "Get Rid of Guns" Campaign and the "Empower & Equip" Program. These initiatives are essential and will add to existing GPD policing and restorative justice practices, operations, and methods in removing illegal fi****ms from our streets and providing our youth with mentorship and valuable skills. By working together as one community with your law enforcement, we can reduce violence, build a resilient community, and create a safer and stronger Greenville for all.
