PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Pontiac has formed its first gun violence prevention task force following a string of recent shootings, including one that injured two people at a youth football game and another that killed a 3-year-old boy.
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City Council passed a resolution Tuesday establishing the task force. The move stems from an earlier resolution that declared gun violence a public health crisis in Pontiac.
Chris Jackson, Pontiac's District 1 city councilman, said the designation reflects a stark reality for residents.
"So, the city of Pontiac has a 15-20 year less life expectancy than its neighbors in Oakland County, and violence, violent crimes - particularly gun violence - is certainly contributing to that 15-20 year less life expectancy."
Jackson said that while crime is at a 20-year low in the city made clear that more needed to be done.
"It's heartbreaking because Pontiac has a narrative that we've worked out to shift."
The task force will include multiple organizations, community safety groups, City Council, the Pontiac School District, Parks and Recreation, and the Oakland Sheriff's Office, among others.
"We want to consider best practices for specific preventative measures for our residents. The age of 14 to 25, as data would show, is the most vulnerable to gun-related activity."
Conflict resolution education in schools is also among the ideas being considered.
"An idea came up, for instance, where conflict resolution needs to be taught in our schools. That's why the partnership between the school district is important because they have access to our students," Jackson said.
The city is also considering partnering with Identify Your Dream, a nonprofit that supports children who have lost loved ones to gun violence. I sat down with Executive Director Deleah Sharp, who lost her own brother to gun violence in Pontiac 30 years ago.
"My brother was shot and killed here in the city of Pontiac. He was only 22 years old," Sharp said.
Since 2011, Sharp has honored her brother through her Stomp Out Violence marches and rallies. For more than a decade, she has mentored families, helping them navigate trauma and grief.
"How do we get them back to feeling safe? Those are the things, if the task force is coming together, that should be at the table. How do we build a sense of safety, a sense of belonging? 'Cause those are the things that everyone needs in life to feel comfortable and to call community, community."
As next steps, the mayor's office will select members of the task force, subject to City Council approval. The group must meet within 45 days of Tuesday's adoption of the resolution.
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