Commissioner Raymond Kelly announced a new police-community partnership to address gang violence in Central Brooklyn. The partnership was initiated by several prominent clergy leaders. As part of this new strategy, police officers will connect families to social services, education and job opportunities; the existing gun buyback program will also be expanded. The NYPD reports that murder has climbed 13.2% this year, compared to the same time last year. According to Commissioner Kelly, African-Americans, who are 24% of New York City's population, comprised 58% of all murder victims in 2009, and 73% of shooting victims. African American males between the ages of 18 and 34 are six times more likely to be murdered than Latino men of the same age, and 12 times more likely than white males, according to Kelly.
Read the New York City Daily News article.
