Community Conversation on Public Safety

As a part of Black History Month, Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed will be hosting a community conversation on crime in the City. The conversation will be held by a distinguished panel of African-American city officials, public safety officials and community leaders.

Because the primary group of individuals who are disproportionately the victims and perpetrators of crime are young African-American men, this panel was specifically designed to speak to them. 

"As an African-American elected official, it is my duty to be a role model for these young people who are committing crimes in the City. We need them to understand that there are better options and pathways for their lives. But we must work together to change our City. No one person can accomplish this alone. It takes a village to turn our city around and make our neighborhoods safer,” said Reed. 

The distinguished panel consists of:
•  Lewis Reed, Board of Aldermen President 
•  Rev. Charles Norris, President St. Louis Metropolitan Clergy Coalition 
•  Judge Jimmie Edwards, City of St. Louis Director of Public Safety
•  Dr. Sean Joe, MSW, PhD, Principal Investigator of Homegrown STL, Washington University 
•  Dan Isom, former SLMPD Chief; Executive Director of REJIS Commission 
•  Chief John Hayden, SLMPD Chief 
•  Darren Seals, Sankofa; Cure Violence
•  James Clark, ULSTL; Cure Violence 
•  Keith Antone; Moderator

The event is also sponsored by Majic 104.9, Hallelujah 1600 AM and 104.1 the Beat. 

The purpose of the conversation is to share information on steps that can be taken now to address the issues of violent crime in the City and discussing future plans to end the violence. 

The panel will meet virtually by Zoom and on Facebook on Thursday, Feb. 11 at 6 p.m. Full event details can be found here.