MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Millions of dollars in pandemic related funds are headed to Memphis.
The White House says that money can be used to address gun violence in our city. One day after her trip to our nation’s capital, Chief CJ Davis met with local clergy to share her plans to make our city safer.
The meeting was Davis’ first time meeting with members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and other concerned clergy members.
Davis told them she’s here to make a difference and asked for everyone’s trust.
“We have to come together as a body and agree that we might not agree on everything but we do need to agree that Memphis deserves better,” said Davis.
Davis’ message is clear: we can’t arrest our way out of the crime and gun violence troubling our city.
Millions of dollars in American Rescue Plan funds will certainly help the city combat the crime that’s plaguing the city.
“It’s an anomaly to receive in excess of several million dollars so these funds should take us a long way,” said Davis.
Memphis was awarded $160 million and a total of $80 million of that has already been paid out. City leaders have a pretty good idea on how they want to spend it.
From community awareness campaign to covering MPD overtime, and recruitment initiatives to youth programs, Chief Davis said this money will go far.
“Those funds are also to go toward programs for young people, youth programs, reentry services, wraparound services for individuals coming back into the community,” said Davis.
It will also help Mayor Strickland’s Gun Violence Intervention Program.
Modeled after similar programs in Oakland and Newark, the program is in the early stages in Memphis, but Mayor Strickland believes it will be successful here as well.
“It makes sense because it’s individual interaction with young people in particular on the verge. They’re going to go to a gang or not go to a gang. We need to lift them up and pull them out of that lifestyle,” Strickland said.
Mayor Strickland says city council asked them to prepare a presentation on where the federal money will go.
They plan to unveil their initial plans next Tuesday.
They hope to finalize it by the fall when they receive final guidelines outlining exactly how arpa funds can be spent