ANNE ARUNDEL, Md. — On Tuesday, leaders from both Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis announced a joint plan to reduce gun violence.
Executive Anne Arundel, Steuart Pittman, the Anne Arundel County Health Department along with the Annapolis Mayor’s Office said they have a plan to reduce gun violence.
GVIT Strategic Plan 2022 by Adam Thompson on Scribd
It will be led by the County’s Violence Intervention Team (GVIT).
Anne Arundel County Health Officer Nilesh Kalyanaraman explains partnership with Cure Violence during Tuesday’s GVIT Strategic Plan.@WMAR2News
— Dave Detling (@WMARDave) June 29, 2022
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Using a structured health approach, the plan identified data and evidence-based strategies that will engage community members, law enforcement, behavioral and mental health agencies, and gun violence intervention organizations.
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“Our Gun Violence Intervention Team has done an extraordinary job bringing together all county agencies and residents to address gun violence as a public health crisis,” said County Executive Pittman. “While politicians across the country play into this crisis, we in Anne Arundel County are working to save lives.”
“Gun violence is a public health issue…”
— Dave Detling (@WMARDave) June 29, 2022
you can read more on today’s announcement of the GVIT Strategic Plan below.
Anne Arundel County & Annapolis will partner with the national organization Cure Violence to carry out the strategy’s six goals.@WMAR2News pic.twitter.com/TGbL8eskeZ
The strategic plan includes six overreaching goals.
They are:
- Lead and coordinate gun violence interventions in Anne Arundel County and the City of Annapolis
- Monitor and advance evidence-based gun laws
- Prevent gun violence through education and public awareness
- Collect and report data on gun-related incidents, injuries and deaths
- Disrupt cycles of community violence through engagement with community members
- Coordinate a response process to support victims of gun violence
“We recognize that guns are in society, but we must eliminate the violence that causes countless deaths and injuries,” said Dr. Nilesh Kalyanaraman, Health Officer for Anne Arundel County. “At the root of this are difficult problems that require working in partnership with communities using evidence-based strategies. It’s a challenge our county is up for.”
The launch of the strategic plan coincides with the four year anniversary of The Gazette Capital shooting where an armed gunman killed Gerald Fisherman, Rob Hiaasen, John McNamara, Rebecca Smith and Wendi Winters.
You can find links to the plan’s strategic blue print here.
