Faith Leaders Look For Ways To Curb Violence In Stockton
STOCKTON (CBS13) — Taking illegal guns off the street and providing a safer place to live is a focus in Stockton.
Faith leaders gathered at Quail Lakes Baptist Church to talk about the ways they can work together to hopefully find a solution to the ongoing problem.
An innovative program called "Gun Bail" uses a smartphone app to help take illegal guns off the streets.
It's an idea business owner Trevor Brooks hopes to one day bring to cities around the country. It's a simple solution he says would remove illegal guns off the street and reduce crime.
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"We can remove guns faster than they can be replenished on the street, but we can also help change the mindset of the individual who feels that he is lost, he or she is lost and they have no opportunity," said Brooks.
Brooks started Gun Bail, a program he hopes to roll out in 2018 in cities in Missouri, South Carolina, and California.
"Everyone eligible for our program can surrender an illegal gun, anonymously through our app, they will be processed and released through a non-financial bail release for surrender that gun, and then they will be funneled into job training, job placement, mental health or drug treatment," said Brooks.
In Stockton, the number of homicides for this year has already reached 46.
"We want to get out that there is hope, there are solutions. They are a lot of good things happening in the community already, but are some more things that need to be done," said Rev. Dwight Williams, organizer of the Town Hall.
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Williams hopes the town hall meeting will be a starting point for residents and members of all congregations to come together in a search for ways to reduce crime.
"What motivated me to do this, I did a funeral a few weeks ago; a young man was shot to death, was shot twice in the face. I'm tired of burying young people through gun violence, and I'm just trying to find a way to help answer that problem," said Williams.
