SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — Monday morning, The city of Syracuse Common Council held a meeting to overview the progress of the Mayor’s office’s program to reduce gun violence in the community.
After the meeting, the Director of the program, Lateef Johnson-Kinsey, said changes have been made. “The stipend has kind of gone away and replaced with workplace/workforce development. So that will be the main change,” Johnson-Kinsey said.
The Syracuse Safer Streets Program, began in January of 2023, implemented to combat the notoriously high crime rates, specifically gun-related, in the city.
Originally, there was a $100 weekly stipend, paying known gang members to not break the law. Some council and community members opposed that stipend.
The program aims at ‘high-risk’ individuals in the community identified as gang members and young adults. The office selected roughly 50 people between the ages of 18 to 24, putting the individuals through therapy, mentorship and job training/placement programs.
The program is still a work in progress. As the Safer Streets pilot continues to develop, the program is looking for partnerships to transition the members of the program into the workforce. The major contenders are CMI Works, Jubilee Homes, Syracuse Parks and Recreation and The Syracuse Department of Public Works which have all shown interest or are actively working with the program members, Johnson-Kinsey said.
On Monday, July 24, The city of Syracuse Common Council will vote to approve the amended program. If approved, the mayor’s office hopes to have the program in full swing by this coming fall, Johnson-Kinsey said.
