Mayor Ed Gainey shares ways to decrease gun violence in Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH — In the city of Pittsburgh, there were 27 homicides this year.

“We are a city for all, we are a city of peace, we are a city stronger than hate and greater than violence,” said Ricky Burgess, a Pittsburgh City Councilman.

City leaders and community members are looking for change.

“Every life is precious every life is precious everyone and it is unacceptable for us to lose anyone to senseless gun violence,” said Mayor Ed Gainey.

Gainey said he’s putting public safety as a top priority with a new plan for peace. He believes by hyperfocusing on certain areas in the city, the small groups of people at the root of the problem will be found and brought to justice.

“We are looking at all of the city small areas that are driven historically by crime those small areas are the concern and what we will be working with,” said Lavonnie Bickerstaff, the Police Assistant Chief of Investigations.

Public Safety wouldn’t say where those areas are in the city, but it hopes to add more social workers to the co-response team to have officers focus on that crime.

“Part of it is aligning resources. If it is a mental health call we like to let police officers focus on what they do which is law enforcement,” said Lisa Frank, Pittsburgh’s chief operating officer.

Gainey said this plan cannot be done alone. The goal is to partner and fund some community groups to focus on at-risk neighborhoods and add prevention and intervention resources.

“We have to continue to do is invest in the way that continues to grow safety in the city,” Gainey said.

To see whether this process or plan for peace is working, the city will be tracking the data. Public Safety said it plans to review those numbers weekly or daily depending on how things go.

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