The Lexington city council has taken the first step to contract with a New York organization to conduct an analysis of group violence. Council moved the contract with the National Network for Safe Communities onto the regular docket. Suggestions for reducing violence would also be offered.
Representatives of Building a United Interfaith Lexington through Direct Action or B.U.I.LD filled the council chambers Tuesday. Sherry Warsh spoke of increasing violence in her mother’s neighborhood. “I grew up on De Porres Avenue in St. Martin’s Village on the northwest side of town. This used to be a safe place to live. That’s no longer true. The Sunday before Easter, there were two shootings, two drive-by shootings,” said Warsh.
Public Safety Commissioner Ken Armstrong says representatives from the New York organization will review homicides over the last five years and shootings for the last three years. “Any input, especially from a group that has the experience it does with so many different cities and some of the successes they’ve had. We would obviously welcome input from anyone about anything, to be honest with you,” noted Armstrong.
Armstrong told council violent crime thus far in 2018 is down from a year ago. He says representatives from the National Network would likely be in the community by the end of January or early February. The agenda item calling for $35,000 for six months is expected to get its readings for approval in December.
