On Tuesday, October 18, Mayor Lester Miller provided the Commission and public with an update on the Macon Violence Prevention (MVP).
“Violent crime does not occur in a vacuum and the interventions proven to be effective are collaborative efforts that bring all stakeholders to the table, especially the community,” said Mayor Miller in his opening remarks. “This is why collaboration is a principle for MVP.”
Mayor Miller introduced MVP Coordinator Jeremy Grissom, who led the rest of the presentation. Grissom is responsible for bringing different organizations and agencies together to keep people out of trouble and prevent violent crime.
“I’ve been able to go to some of these events, sit with some of these organizations, and see the people they’ve actually affected,” said Grissom. “Data is important, but the stories are sometimes more powerful. And those stories are not told by data.”
Representatives from Cure Violence Macon gave an update on what they’ve done since becoming part of MVP, and Grissom gave a summary of the other four crime intervention programs that were funded at the same time.
“A program doesn’t interrupt violence, it’s the relationships. Our target age is from 16 to 25. In the Pleasant Hill area, there is no one in our caseload that is over the age of 18,” said Cure Violence Macon Project Director Pastor Dominique Johnson. “We had a young man who was very popular in his community, and he probably never would’ve done this if it wasn’t for him watching us: he mimicked us and mediated a conflict between two individuals that would’ve turned violent.”
District Attorney Anita Howard, Director of the Brookdale Resource Center Alison Bender, Macon Mental Health Matters Coordinator Andrea Cooke, and Keep Macon-Bibb Beautiful Director Asha Ellen all briefed the Commission on what their organizations have done and do to prevent violent crime in our community.
“It is important that people who perpetuate violence receive mental health services that is trauma informed,” said Cooke.
In June, MVP, in partnership with the Community Foundation of Central Georgia, awarded $800,000 in grant money to 25 non-profit and faith-based organizations. Four of those organizations – Next Level Community Development Center, Community and Chess, Crisis Line & Safe House of Middle Georgia, and Central Georgia CASA – spoke about what the grants are allowing them to do achieve MVP’s mission.
“We have seen an increase from 16% of kids 12 and older with a court appointed special advocate in June to 23.6% of 12 plus youth with an advocate by the end of September,” said CASA Executive Director Susanna Patterson. “A few youth friends and families are changed and touched at first, but overtime change occurs in the life of our community.”
Macon-Bibb County Industrial Authority (MBCIA) Executive Director Stephen Adams also showed support for MVP and briefed the Commission and public on the job opportunities being brought to our community. Since 2021, new MBCIA industry projects have brought an investment of $252.8 million in Macon-Bibb County and generated more than 1,000 new jobs.
Part of the mission to prevent violent crime in our community is to hold businesses accountable when it comes to safety with the nuisance abatement project. Since April, Macon-Bibb County has filed six lawsuits and formal complaints against motels and food marts based on the amount of criminal activity in and immediately around them. Those include M&M Food Mart, Friends Food Mart, Bridgeview Inn, Macon Inn , Red Carpet Inn, and America’s Best Value Inn and Suites. A public health emergency was declared on Magnolia Court Motel, leading it to be shut down and ultimately demolished.
Since the closure of M&M Food Mart on September 16, no violent crime or drug crime has taken place on the property. ShotSpotter detected one gunfire incident and three rounds fired within 400 feet of M&M in the three weeks after closing, which results to 95% reduction in incidents and 98% reduction in rounds fired compared to when the store was open.
In the closing of the more than three-hour long presentation, Sheriff David Davis gave updates from the Sheriff’s Office regarding violent crime. Compared to the second quarter, the third quarter saw a 13% decrease in violent crime throughout the county.
The Sheriff’s Office has held several operations including Operation Four Corners where criminals were arrested and 91 firearms were seized, and Operation Street Defender where 32 people were arrested, 14 firearms were seized (three of which were stolen), and numerous narcotics were also recovered.
Sheriff Davis also said compared to the second quarter, the third quarter had E911 calls of shots fired dropped by 15%, ShotSpotter alerts dropped by 25%, and ShotSpotter rounds detected also dropped by 12%.
The Sheriff also mentioned the push to hire more deputies. You can read more about that plan here.
“We are all just a piece of the puzzle. Together we can and will create a stronger and safer community for generations to come,” said Mayor Miller.