POUGHKEEPSIE – The City of Poughkeepsie Police Department and Mayor Rob Rolison held a press conference on Monday to discuss the uptick in gun violence in the city. Following Monday’s announcement of police efforts, Common Council Chairperson Sarah Salem scheduled a special August meeting of the Common Council to address the problem.
Salem is inviting community members, local officials, and subject matter experts to seek solutions to the growing issues of gun violence, homelessness, and crime in the City. The meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 25, at Changepoint Church in the city.
The council chairperson said these issues have been on the rise over the past year, with three City of Poughkeepsie teens being killed, numerous shooting incidents across the city, as well as a steep increase in the number of folks who are considered unhoused as the community has been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.
Salem said, “Our youth need to be our number one priority, and we need to work together as a community to solve the complex problems causing gun violence in our city.” She added that the meeting will “explore all options and resources at our disposal to interrupt and fight back against gun violence and to come up with solutions to offer relief and support to our unhoused population. We must act now to spend 100 percent of our available resources to address these issues.”
Councilmember Yvonne Flowers said, “It takes a village to raise our children, to educate our children, and to protect our children. It is time for all members of this Poughkeepsie ‘village’ to stand up and do what’s necessary to stop our kids from killing each other. They need us more than ever!”
