Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed introducing legislation to fund  full implementation of Cure Violence

Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed will introduce Board Bill 105 on Friday to create a supplemental appropriation to the Annual Budget in the amount of $8,000,000 for the purpose of providing funding for the violence prevention alternative program, “Cure Violence.” 

“Public Safety should be our number one priority. It affects everything that we do in the City. It’s time to ‘put our money where our mouth is,” said Reed. 

“Cure Violence” takes an evidence-based approach in reducing violent crime in urban settings. It uses community members as violence interrupters, connects at-risk people with relevant community services, and results in rapid and sustained reduction of gun violence. 

“When you look at all the murders that have happened throughout our city, and particularly all the young people that have fallen victim, we need to do something and we need major change. Appropriating these surplus funds helps us to get there," said Reed. 

Communities that have adopted a health approach to violence prevention have seen up to 70 percent reductions in shootings and killings. Earlier this session, the Board of Aldermen allocated $500,000 to fund the program. The additional funding from this bill will allow a complete roll-out of the program throughout the entire City of St. Louis.

The board bill will be introduced and assigned to a committee on Friday, Sept. 13 at the Board of Aldermen. It will be up for approval at the Board of Estimate and Apportionment meeting, Wednesday, September 18 at 2 p.m. in Room 200, City Hall.