WHEREAS, Gun violence is a longstanding and devastating problem in Philadelphia and throughout the nation. Shootings in Philadelphia continue at a rate of more than three per day. More than 3,000 Philadelphians have been killed over the last decade—83 percent of them were killed with a gun; and
WHEREAS, The cost of each hospitalization for a shooting incurs nearly a half-million dollars in direct costs and the cost of each murder is nearly six million dollars in negative economic impact; and
WHEREAS, Public safety is the foundation for all social goods, from health to education to community cohesion and beyond; and
WHEREAS, Existing gun violence prevention efforts across Philadelphia are numerous, and often apparently impactful, but not routinely and systematically coordinated; and
WHEREAS, Philadelphia has yet to formulate and implement a comprehensive, Citywide strategy for the prevention of gun violence; and
WHEREAS, Such coordination and planning is proven to enhance cities’ success in addressing core social problems, including gun violence. Indeed, significant advances in gun violence prevention have resulted from sustained collaboration and strategic investment by stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, across sectors including law enforcement, public health, education, social services, advocacy, and community organizing; and
WHEREAS, All Philadelphians deserve to live their lives free of gun violence and the fear thereof; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That Council hereby authorizes the creation of a “Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention,” consisting of members appointed by the Council President, to address the crucial issue of gun violence in Philadelphia by facilitating coordination among stakeholders and formulating a comprehensive gun violence prevention strategy.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That in furtherance of these goals, the Special Committee’s duties shall include, but not be confined to: convening regular meetings for planning and coordination purposes; examining the efficacy of current programs and policies, identifying local and national best practices, engaging community leaders; increasing capacity for data collection and analysis; developing metrics to measure progress toward strategic goals; reviewing allocation of City resources to ensure optimization of results; holding public hearings to highlight the Special Committee’s progress and solicit public input.
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