It is truly devastating every time we suffer another act of senseless gun violence. Like you, the most recent Roxborough tragedy once again has me sad and angry — but importantly — not defeated.
I’m writing to you today because I want you to know there are solutions out there and things we can do right now to prevent these tragedies going forward.
Sign my petition today if you agree we need to act now to end the gun violence epidemic. Then keep reading to learn what I plan to do as your next Mayor>>>
John, we can do these three things right now with the right leaders and political will:
- Fully fund effective anti-violence programs: There are currently two programs in Philadelphia —‘Philadelphia Ceasefire’ and ‘Shape Up’ — that work to connect those most at risk of gun violence with jobs and counseling to help people put down a gun and pick up a paycheck.
- Provide visible support for our Police: We already removed the residency requirement to work as a Philadelphia police officer and now we need to add signing bonuses to encourage quality candidates to become cadets for our city.
- Work collectively: We need a real, coordinated public-private partnership between Philadelphians and our police force — it’s not just about big, new ideas; it’s about getting them done together to achieve real results. We need an all-hands-on-deck approach to solve this crisis — the solutions are there, we just need the right leaders to get them done.
It’s not an either/or situation:
We can stop violence without violating the rights of our Philadelphians.
Families need to know that they can drop their kids off at school, sports games, or the park, without fearing for their safety.
John, let me know you support these solutions, and then let me know what else you think we should be doing to make our city safe for ALL Philadelphians.
Together, we can make a difference in our community.
In solidarity,
Derek Green
