PONTIAC, Mich. – The Pontiac City Council is set to vote Tuesday night on a resolution that would create a gun violence prevention task force, a move council members said is aimed at finding solutions to keep residents safe.
The vote comes months after the council declared gun violence a public health crisis, a designation intended in part to help attract funding for organizations that support victims and their families.
However, recent shootings have highlighted a concern in the city.
Earlier this month, a man was shot at a youth football game at Wisner Stadium.
Two days later, a 3-year-old boy died after being shot in the head in what the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office described as an accidental shooting. Days after that, a man was shot and killed.
All three incidents occurred in Pontiac.
“It’s very scary actually,” said Blair Davis, who lives near the site of the most recent shooting. “I’m a bit worried that it’s been getting closer and closer. We’re not hearing that it’s in downtown or other parts of the city; now it’s just right outside, across the street. A bit worrisome, I would say.”
Councilman Chris Jackson, who represents District 1, said the proposed task force is part of a broader effort to address those fears and change how the city is perceived.
“What we’re trying to do is overcome the narrative that Pontiac is a dangerous city,” Jackson said.
Jackson noted that overall crime rates are not as high as they once were, but said the council wants to focus on prevention.
“The goal is how do we become more preventative as it relates to specific age groups in the city of Pontiac, that 14 to 24 area where we know they’re impacted by more gun violence than any other age group in the city of Pontiac,” Jackson said. “The goal is to also go after funding opportunities that may already exist, and building on the work that other organizations have already done. The county, the state.”
Jackson said the task force would be a way of showing residents that area leaders are committed to finding answers to an ongoing challenge and improving public safety.
According to the resolution, if passed, some people on the task force could include: representatives from the Pontiac City Council, City of Pontiac Neighborhood Services Department, Pontiac SAFE Program, City of Pontiac Youth Recreation, School District of the City of Pontiac, Oakland County Children’s Village, Office of the Oakland County Prosecuting Attorney, Office of the Oakland County Sheriff, and the Oakland County Sixth Circuit Court.
If the resolution is approved, Jackson said, the task force is expected to hold its first meeting within 45 days.
