City advocacy organizations applaud establishment of White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention

Every day, an average of 327 people in the United States are shot and 117 are killed, according to the gun violence advocacy organization Brady. Gun violence is an epidemic that has affected every city, county and region in the nation. Municipal and county administrators often find themselves on the frontlines, responding to tragedies and spearheading efforts to prevent further loss. 

Recently, the Biden Administration took action to help beleaguered communities through the establishment of a first-ever White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. The office, which was created last week, will focus on implementing executive and legislative action.

“To all the state and local leaders and advocates from all across the country—and to the survivors and families who are with us today, many of whom Jill and I have gotten to know,” Pres. Joe Biden said in remarks following the announcementl, “It matters. You have absolute courage; you found purpose in your pain.”

Vice Pres. Kamala Harris will oversee the office. Stefanie Feldman, a longtime policy advisor on gun violence prevention, will serve as director alongside leading gun violence prevention advocates Greg Jackson and Rob Wilcox, who will serve as deputy directors. The announcement has been positively received so far by advocacy organizations representing local governments. 

“In our city, we understand the importance of working with [the] community to address public safety,” said Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka, co-chair of the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Reimagining Public Safety Taskforce in a statement. “The needs and desires of our community must always be at the center of our efforts to reduce gun violence. Within our public safety ecosystem, we approach the challenge holistically from all levels in order to refresh at-risk areas with a full spectrum of services that address the causes and conditions of crime. In treating public safety as a public health issue, we lead with both head and heart while focusing on hard data and analysis to serve as the basis for compassion and care. Newark commends President Biden’s creation of this critical Office of Gun Violence Prevention and we stand ready to support and push this effort to become the national standard for public safety.”

The cities organization noted the important role local leaders play in addresssing gun violence, as they best understand the unique needs of each individual community. 

“NLC urges the new White House Office of Gun Violence to work closely with local leaders, including those leading local offices of violence prevention and neighborhood safety, recognizing their expertise and experience in developing policies that can make a difference,” the statement says. “In addressing gun violence, it is essential to take into consideration the intersections with race and equity. Over the last several years, gun violence has had unfortunate and traumatic impacts on educational institutions, places of worship, and other public places within American municipalities.”

Likewise, the United States Conference of Mayors lauded the step as nessary, noting that putting a hault to gun violence has and continues to be a priority for mayors. 

“Stopping the gun violence that continues to shatter lives in American cities requires a whole-of-government approach, and we are eager to begin working with this new office,” said Hillary Schieve, mayor of Reno, Nev. and president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in a statement. “We know the drivers of the gun violence crisis we face are many, and it requires a comprehensive approach. We need all hands-on deck, and we welcome this new federal resource. Mayors will not stop until we have safer cities and finally end this epidemic.”