On Monday, President Joe Biden met with state mayors and other leaders at the Roosevelt Room in the White House, to discuss strategies to counter the growing gun violence across the nation. The president outlined his strategic plan which includes increase in funding, greater coordination at all levels, decreasing illegal weapon trafficking with strict actions, community support and more.

The attendees included:

• Attorney General Merrick Garland
• Washington D. C. Mayor Muriel Bowser
• San Jose, California Mayor Sam Liccardo
• Wilmington Police Department Chief Robert Tracy
• Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown
• Memphis Police Chief C. J. Davis
• Anthony Lima of Newark, New Jersey Police
• Aqeela Sherrills co-founder of Community-Based Public Safety Collective

President Joe Biden said that their strategy provides funding for law enforcement through the America Rescue Plan. State and cities will be not only able to hire police but also to pay them overtime so   community policing could be advanced.

He spoke of greater coordination between state, local and federal governments. He said that keeping each American safe was the first responsibility of democracy. He mentioned that this was what the American people were looking for. He also said that he did not believe in defunding the police but believed that there was a need for police reform after the brutal killing of George Floyd.

Earlier in June, the president had already announced a plan for gun control. One of the methods that would stem the flow of illegal weapons would be through new strike forces to take down illegal gun traffickers in

• New York
• Chicago
• Los Angeles
• Washington
• San Francisco

There will also be the enforcement of a “zero tolerance” policy for those who sell illegal guns.

Biden also spoke of providing funds to cities that need more police to deal with various law and order issues related to guns and reducing gun violence. White house officials said that local communities are using funds that were disbursed through Biden’s COVID-19 package

• to increase summer programs
• to create job opportunities for at-risk communities
• to provide resources for community intervention programs

All these programs introduced by the Biden administration will also help to decrease gun violence which has soared to the highest levels ever in the history of the nation.

Photo Gage Skidmore