Mayor of Savannah announces 100 day initiative to help prevent gun violence

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - The City of Savannah has started a new initiative to help prevent gun violence in the city.

Mayor Van Johnson said parents across the city should keep a closer eye on their children over the next 100 days.

“This is going to be 100 days of courageous conversations,” said Mayor Johnson “We are saying for the next 100 days, we need accountability in this community. The police cannot mother our children. Mothers have to mother our children.”

The campaign asks those in the community to do 10 things aimed at helping keep Savannah safe this summer:

1. KNOW WHO your children’s friends are and who their friends’ parents are
2. KNOW WHAT is in their room, their closet, their text messages, their social media
3. KNOW WHERE your children are at all times and set a curfew
4. BEWARE OF BOREDOM: children need accountability, schoolwork, a job, chores
5. LOCK UP GUNS IN HOMES AND VEHICLES: access to guns puts your child and others at risk
6. ASK about guns in homes your child visits and make sure they only visit homes where guns are safely stored
7. KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS
8. FORM A VILLAGE of neighbors, church members, and parents of your child’s friends to keep every child in Savannah safe
9. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING
10. BE PRESENT physically, emotionally, spiritually; pray with your children, love your children, and have fun with your children this summer.

The mothers at the announcement have a very personal connection to gun violence, having lost a loved one to it in the past, including District 3 Alderwoman Linda Wilder-Bryan. She listed things mothers and families should focus on for the next 100 days to help keep children from going down the wrong path.

“Be present. Physically, emotionally, spiritually - pray with your children. Love your children. And have fun with your children this summer,” Alderwoman Wilder-Bryan said.

The group pointed out too often a lack of accountability and presence in children’s lives often leads to trouble.

“Lack of love, it’s not like it was back in the day. We would not call the police, all we had to do was call big momma. And we would rather call the police than big momma. We’ve just got to live on our children,” a member of the new initiative, Brenda Curtis Johnson said.

This effort is something Savannah Police Chief Roy Minter said is very much needed in the community, and Mayor Johnson said there will also be a focus on enforcing curfews this summer for minors, which is Sunday through Thursday at 11, and Friday and Saturday at midnight.

As part of the initiative to help parents keep their children out of danger, WTOC will be asking parents every night if they know what their children are doing.

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