Gun violence is an ongoing trend among local youth, and to break that cycle, local leaders hosted a forum at the Hopkinsville Municipal Building on Monday to discuss ways to reduce gun crimes among minors.
Hopkinsville City Council member Brittanie Bogard, the local Police Department and the Hopkinsville Masons partnered to host the forum. Since the beginning of the year, Police Chief Jason Newby says that the department has issued 247 citations and made 54 arrests in relation to crimes with youth offenders.
Newby also shared that youth related gun crimes are not just occurring in a couple of neighborhoods but in areas all across the city.
To reduce youth gun violence, Newby says he has proposed an ordinance to the city council that would enforce a curfew for those under the age of 18. The ordinance includes exemptions for student athletes traveling home from a game. If the curfew is violated, then the child’s parents will have to pay for a fine.
To help prevent children from obtaining guns, Newby advises the community to keep their car doors locked. He says if the doors are locked, often times children will walk away, but if they are unlocked then they will take guns, wallets and more.
Members from groups that engage with local youth were also present at the forum to share the programs they host that provide mentorship and support opportunities. Larry Breland from the Masons says they have a program called the Knights of Pythagoras that teaches young men how to be productive members of society and the importance of following laws.
Other organizations such as the Hopkinsville Boxing Club, The Diamonds, Lipstick After Dark and Men 2 Be were in attendance. While those programs have the potential to make a difference in the lives of local youth, Victor Flowers from Men 2 Be says parents have a greater impact in their children’s development.
Flowers says some children are exposed to poor influences at home which plays a key role in their development. In order to help local youth be successful, he says parents and mentors need to work together.
Moving forward, Newby says he plans to work with the city staff to share to share what youth mentorship programs are available in Hopkinsville.