RELEASE
May 22, 2024
Contact:
Jennifer “JLor” Lor
JLor@ci.stpaul.mn.us
(651) 417-9454
Saint Paul's Office of Neighborhood Safety Joins Violence Prevention Cohort Visiting White House
SAINT PAUL, MN – Today, the Office of Neighborhood Safety (ONS) gathers at the White House with more than 40 member communities of the National Offices of Violence Prevention Network (NOVPN) to further develop a collaborative nationwide network of Offices of Violence Prevention (OVP).
President Biden established the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention in September 2023 to support state and municipal efforts to curb gun violence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The OVPs are tasked with advancing neighborhood safety through grass roots engagement and community-led initiatives that go beyond emergency response. Their goal is to intervene and provide wrap around supports for those at the highest risk of perpetrating or falling victim to gun violence.
“We are pleased to have a partner in the Biden-Harris Administration who shares our commitment to ensuring that everyone who lives, works, and plays in Saint Paul is safe," said Mayor Carter. "We’ll continue working with our community and federal partners to enhance our Community-First Public Safety framework by combining investments in emergency response with targeted interventions to prevent crises from arising in the first place.”
“I look forward to sharing the innovations, successes, and challenges of Mayor Carter's Community-First Public Safety framework with leaders across the nation,” said Director Brooke Blakey. “The White House’s convening is timely, given we are heading into the summer months when keeping young people positively engaged is hardest and most important.”
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SAFETY
ONS was launched in February 2022 to expand on Mayor Melvin Carter’s Community-First Public Safety framework, which balances investments in policing with an array of community-led strategies focused on addressing the root causes of crime.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL OFFICES OF VIOLENCE PREVENTION NETWORK
The NOVPN is a first-of-its-kind learning community with the goal of significantly increasing the expertise and effectiveness of offices of violence prevention and other similar agencies. The NOVPN hosts virtual and in-person convenings; provides trainings on violence reduction practices; coordinates cross-OVP learning exchanges; offers leadership development; and builds OVP capacity in data collection, fund development, and media relations. The NOVPN also supports the White House’s National Office of Gun Violence Prevention to facilitate access to OVPs. Originally established in 2021 with a membership of 21 established OVPs, the network has grown to nearly 60 members, including multiple state-level offices of violence prevention and local OVPs launched with NOVPN support. To learn more, visit https://ovpnetwork.org/. The NOVPN is a strategic initiative of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR). To learn more about NICJR, visit https://nicjr.org/.
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