CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — The Johnson administration has a wide-ranging plan to make Chicago's streets safer this summer, and they are counting on a number of community leaders to make it work.
Mayor Brandon Johnson has called it the People’s Public Safety Plan, and it requires government, business and philanthropic investment in at least four of Chicago communities with the highest crime rates and the most disinvestment: Englewood, West Garfield Park, Austin and Little Village.
Garien Gatewood, Chicago’s deputy mayor for community safety, said investments from the public and private sectors and philanthropy, can change lives and outcomes in disinvested communities — and that can bring down crime.
“When we talk about investing in people, this is how we open up opportunities for employment,” he told WBBM. “You think about the partnerships we have, both inside government and outside government. There’s a $100 million commitment that has been made by the business and philanthropic communities to expand and instill community violence intervention.”
Gatewood said the $100 million commitment will go to six communities to “really build and expand that operation.”
But WBBM also asked Gregory Matthews — who manages community engagement for the Garfield Park Rite to Wellness Collaborative — if offering jobs, opportunities and activities will be enough to change hardcore shooters in some neighborhoods.
“This is about the things that we’re going to be doing to actually create change for the majority for those who want peace and tranquility in their community, and that’s the majority,” he said. “There are going to be some people who buck the system, but that’s what the police are for. That’s why the government supporting us is so valuable.”
Matthews said what residents really need is “actual, tangible change.”
“Conversation and talking is not ever going to create any type of inertia or any type of good will on the West Side,” he said.
While policing, alone, cannot solve the problems, the police are needed.
“We have not stopped any of our work with our police,” said Gatewood. “We have not stopped any of our work with our violence intervention. None of that other work is stopping. We’re investing in people, and we want to replicate this model because we know that investing in people who have been purposely disinvested in leads to the change that we all need to see.”
Gatewood and Matthews are guests on this weekend’s episode of “At Issue,” which focuses on combating summer violence. Listen to “At Issue” live every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on WBBM Newsradio.
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