Save Lives Now!, a regional anti-violence initiative designed to rapidly reduce violent street crime by 20% within three years, takes another a step forward next Thursday, May 23, with the inaugural meeting of the new Save Lives Now! Advisory Council.
Chaired by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam Page, the Advisory Council will convene at 1 p.m. in the lower floor conference room at the Florissant Valley branch of the St. Louis County Library, 195 S New Florissant Rd, Florissant, MO 63031. The meeting will take about 90 minutes.
The meeting is open to the public, and presents an opportunity for residents, stakeholders, and others to learn about the approaches of the Save Lives Now! initiative already being used with great success in other urban areas throughout the country. The event is also a gathering of the many partners and groups who are working together to launch this critical work in our region. Key strategies include the coordinated implementation of focused deterrence, cognitive behavioral therapy, and street outreach tactics concentrated on known individuals most at risk for causing or being caught up in the cycle of violent crime, including shootings and homicide. The initiative requires a highly coordinated approach that includes law enforcement, trained interventionists able to innovatively deliver cognitive behavioral therapy and other services, and street outreach violence prevention professionals that enable individuals to exit the cycle of crime.
The creation of an active and inclusive Advisory Council was identified early on in the planning process as a key part of the Save Lives Now! initiative. The Save Lives Now! Advisory Council’s duties include:
- Providing feedback on relevant data, progress, milestones, accountability, and tactics provided by new EWG anti-violence hub.
- Serving as a liaison to the public and relevant stakeholders to openly communicate about Save Lives Now!’s mission and tactics.
- Listening and acting on public feedback.
- Working individually and collectively to ensure continuous collaboration, problem-solving, and communication for the seamless and standardized implementation of Save Lives Now! anti-violence tactics across multiple jurisdictions.The Advisory Council will meet quarterly in differing locations. This first meeting is intended to give the public and advisory council members a chance to learn together. The Advisory Council continues to build its membership, which currently includes leaders in regional and local government, law enforcement, civic, business, faith-based, youth services, mental health services, and other support groups representing areas impacted by violent crime.
The Advisory Council Meeting agenda for the meeting includes opening remarks from co-chairs Page and Jones; presentations by nationally recognized criminologist Thomas Abt, a lead advisor to Save Lives Now! and the director of the University of Maryland’s Center for the Study and Practice of Violence Prevention; a look at current regional violent crime data; an overview of the council and its function; next steps; and a public question and answer session.
Save Lives Now! is a regional response to the high rates of homicides and gun violence occurring in parts of St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Clair County. The initiative was envisioned with diverse input from leaders, stakeholders, and residents during a regional crime summit held in May 2023, and a five-day Crime Practicum held in December, 2023.
Pre-registration to attend the Save Lives Now Advisory Council Meeting is encouraged. Pre-register here.
For further information, contact Nancy Cambria at savelivesnow@ewgateway.org.