[Public Safety Reforms]
Bowman: “I want to thank Jumaane Williams for his leadership, and I urge other public officials to support his calls for reform.”
Photo: YouTube
Jamaal Bowman is backing Public Advocate Jumaane Williams’ calls for public safety reforms.
In response to the recent spike in shootings across New York City, Public Advocate Jumaane Williams has called for a series of reforms to reduce gun violence and address the underlying systemic problems that contribute to it. Jamaal Bowman, the Democratic nominee in New York’s 16th Congressional District, has released the following statement in support of the Public Advocate’s proposed reforms:
“I want to echo and support Jumaane Williams’ proposals to combat the senseless violence taking place in our streets. Jumaane is right that both law enforcement and community organizations have a role to play in combating violence, and there is much more than can be done to support community-based interventions. If we’re going to break the cycle of violence, more policing is not the solution.
“First, CompStat data shouldn’t be available only to the police department — it should be shared with the anti-violence groups and community leaders who are doing the work on the ground.
“Second, we should be investing in the ‘Advance Peace’ model of violence interruption, focusing on community engagement and mentoring young New Yorkers who are at-risk of engaging in gun violence through credible messengers.
“Finally, we need police to be partners in this effort, not obstacles to progress. Attempts to blame common sense policing reforms for the recent violence only further undermines the credibility and trust in law enforcement in our communities.
“This is an opportunity for elected officials, law enforcement, and community groups to work together to create a strategic plan that keeps New Yorkers safe and alive.
“I want to thank Jumaane Williams for his leadership, and I urge other public officials to support his calls for reform.”
About Jamaal Bowman Founding Principal Jamaal Bowman has been an educator and advocate for public schools for over 20 years and currently serves as principal for the Cornerstone Academy for Social Action (CASA), a public middle school he founded in 2009 in the Baychester neighborhood of The Bronx. Principal Bowman is running for New York’s 16th Congressional District and is rejecting all corporate PAC and lobbyist contributions. He is a life-long New Yorker who now lives in Yonkers with his wife and children.
