Title
Authorizing the Philadelphia City Council Special Committee on Gun Violence Prevention to conduct public hearings to explore the role of the Philadelphia Roadmap for Safer Communities Tactical Team as part of the City's comprehensive response to unprecedented gun violence.
Body
WHEREAS, Gun violence has plagued the City of Philadelphia for decades. Between 2007 and 2021, more than 1,000 shootings occurred annually. Between 2015 and 2021, occurrences of fatal shootings rose by more than 200%, from 233 fatal shootings in 2015 to 486 in 2021; and
WHEREAS, Fatal shootings accounted for 86% of all homicides in 2021, the deadliest year on record with 562 homicides; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, more than 80% of all shootings occurred in only 10 of the City's 48 zip codes, accounting for more than 70% of fatal shootings this past year; and
WHEREAS, The gun violence epidemic has had a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities in Philadelphia. In 2021, Black and Hispanic Philadelphians accounted for 95% of all shooting victims, and of 91% of all fatal shooting victims; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, $68 million in new funding was allocated to the FY22 budget for gun violence prevention and anti-violence strategies; and
WHEREAS, There have been 73 homicides in 2022; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Roadmap for Safer Communities Tactical Team (the "Tactical Team") meets weekly with stated goals of providing important context for the gun violence in specific police pinpoint areas to the City's environmental and social services providers, developing a standardized definition of areas where crime and violence are most prevalent (a "hot spot") and using police and community data to coordinate and target city services and other supports; and
WHEREAS, The Tactical Team is comprised of representatives from the Managing Director's Office, the Philadelphia Police Department (the "PPD"), the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disABILITY Services, the Philadelp...
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