Media Advisory: California City Leaders to Discuss Gang Prevention and Commit to Violence Reduction
September 14, 2011
Leaders from 13 California cities will gather in Oakland to discuss gang prevention strategies, September 19-20, as part of the California Cities Gang Prevention Network. During an opening press conference, several mayors will sign a “Mayors’ Call for Action” which calls for county, state and federal governments to support and encourage a policy preference for comprehensive gang violence prevention; involve city governments in current realignment efforts; join the Network in creating an efficient evaluation method; and continue providing necessary funding to support violence reduction approaches.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris will also discuss reaffirming the state’s commitment to preventing youth gang violence in light of the realignment plan to devolve many public safety responsibilities to local governments.
Media are invited to attend the opening press conference and the Attorney General’s welcome address.
What: California Cities Gang Prevention Network
Who: Kamala Harris, California Attorney General
Mayor Jean Quan, Oakland
Mayor Edwin Lee, San Francisco
Mayor Dennis Donohue, Salinas
Mayor Patrick Morris, San Bernardino
Chris McKenzie, Executive Director, League of California Cities
When: Monday, September 19, 2011
10:45am – Press conference with local officials
11:30am – Kamala Harris
Where: Oakland Marriott City Center
1001 Broadway, Skyline Room (21st Floor)
Oakland, California
RSVP: Amanda Straub, 202-626-3015, straub@nlc.org or Gregory Minchak, 202-626-3003, Minchak@nlc.org.
The California Cities Gang Prevention Network seeks to reduce gang-related violence and victimization through cross-city peer learning, identify and implement best practices and initiate state and federal policy changes to support local practice. Participating network cities include Fresno, Los Angeles, Oakland, Oxnard, Richmond, Sacramento, Salinas, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San José, Santa Rosa and Stockton.
The Network is sponsored by the National League of Cities’ (NLC) Institute for Youth, Education and Families and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency and is supported by grants from the California Wellness Foundation and the California Endowment, with earlier support from the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, the East Bay Community Foundation and the Richmond Children’s Fund. Kaiser Permanente provided additional support for this meeting.
In existence since 1907, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, a non-profit research and consulting firm, specializes in child welfare and juvenile and adult justice issues.
More information on the Gang Prevention Network can be found at www.ccgpn.org.
The National League of Cities is the nation’s oldest and largest organization devoted to strengthening and promoting cities as centers of opportunity, leadership and governance. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.