“We’re here today to take a stand…to take a stand against violence…to take a stand, linked arm-in-arm as a community, and with each other – working together to make every family and every neighborhood safer,” Mayor Miller said at a press conference on Wednesday, December 8, to announce the Macon Violence Prevention Strategic Plan, flanked by community partners, departments, and local agencies.

This Strategic Plan is the next step in engaging the community on how to best reduce violent crime. It is based on feedback from thousands of people who attended 14 forums or submitted an online survey, as well as from experts in social services, mental health, courts, law enforcements, community support agencies, and more. Even with the overwhelming amount of people identifying public safety as their top concern, the Mayor pointed out that making neighborhoods safer is something he takes very personally.

“These neighborhoods, the ones that most need us…the ones where people pleaded with me the loudest for help…these are the neighborhoods I grew up in,” he told the partners, media, and people watching online. “I’m not taking on this fight because someone told me it’s important or because it’s the politically expedient thing to say or do. I’m fighting for my home.”

“If we are all on the same page and are all working toward creating a safer community, entire families will have their lives improved, meaning children are better able to learn and have brighter futures,” said Bibb County School District Chief of Staff Dr. Tanzy Kilcrease, who also spoke at the press conference. “We see the impact violence has on children. We grieve with them when their friends and family are hurt or when they lose a loved one.”

The MVP Strategic Plan will be the guiding document for agencies and community organizations to apply for grants that will fund programs and initiatives that will reduce violence. The granting program will run through the Community Foundation of Central Georgia (CFCGA).

“We are working to enhance the quality of life for the people in our region, a region where communities are strong and people work together towards common goals,” said CFCGA President Kathryn Dennis. “There isn’t a much better way to improve people’s quality of life than by improving their safety, by making sure they can go to bed peacefully at night without worrying about their family and neighbors.”

The CFCGA will soon announce how to apply for grants, as well as how they will work with organizations to support them through the application process. They are looking to review and fund proven and innovative methods to reduce crime.

Improving public safety was the top issue identified by the Mayor’s Transition Team in the fall and winter of 2020 based on multiple forums and surveys, which is why it has been a top priority of his administration. Steps were taken in the first month to begin addressing root causes of violent crime, and new efforts have been launched and funded consistently since then. These include:

• Launching Macon Mental Health Matters, which is providing free mental health support resources in neighborhoods.
• Starting the Blight Fight effort, which has removed more than 80 dangerous structures that attract crime from neighborhoods.
• Engaging the departments, partners, and neighbors in Clean Streets Matter, which has led to millions of pounds of debris and hundreds of illegal dumps from our streets.
• Opening the Brookdale Resource Center for people experiencing homelessness or who do not have adequate housing and has led to people gaining permanent housing and jobs.
• Asking and getting the Commission to approve $40 million in incentives to retain experienced public safety officers.
• Investing in new public safety technology.
• Supporting the District Attorney’s RISE initiative.
• Strengthening Code Enforcement with more resources and officers.
• Raising the minimum wage for employees.
• Providing $2 million for violence interrupters.
• Appropriating $2.5 million for organizations to put programs in place to help reach the goals outlined in the community-driven Strategic Plan.

“Let me stress: MVP is not a quick fix or a silver bullet, but instead, it is designed to be a long-term program that will address the underlying causes of violent crime,” said the Mayor. “It is a living, breathing, evolving document that will likely change as we learn more about what works and what does not for our community.”

“This effort represents an amazing amount of collaboration and community engagement,” added Dennis. “It is obvious to us that our community is rallying behind a single goal: reduce violence in our community.”

“Today isn’t the start of this journey for our community. Each group involved has been working to reduce violence in a variety of ways, but today is a major step,” added Dr. Kilcrease. “We are united in this effort because there isn’t an aspect of our lives that won’t be improved by the success of this plan.”

“Together, united, I know that we can make a difference and create a safer, stronger community for our children and grandchildren,” the Mayor said to close out the announcement.