City garners grant to fight gang violence

The Baker-Polito Administration has announced $5.6 million in competitive grants to cities and towns across Massachusetts which, with their local community partners, will use the money to combat gang violence and support local at-risk youth. Cities, including Somerville and Cambridge, will receive a collective $307,000 from the Shannon Community Safety Initiative to target gang violence in Massachusetts. The grants provide funding to communities that demonstrate high levels of youth violence and gang activity, and who have a comprehensive plan to work with multi-disciplinary partners and a commitment to coordinated prevention and intervention strategies. Those strategies include social interventions, employment opportunity programs, time and personnel for gang task forces, and more. "The Metro Mayors Coalition is honored to continue working with law enforcement and community partners to support prevention strategies for at-risk youth in Greater Boston," said Marc Draisen, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), which staffs the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC), a group of 14 cities and towns which collaborate in addressing common issues confronting urban core governments. MAPC manages the grant for the MMC communities of Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, and Winthrop. "We thank Governor Baker and the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security for their ongoing support of this critical program to help prevent youth violence and gang involvement," said Draisen. The Somerville Police Department and Teen Empowerment will receive funds for their Metro Gang Task Force and Hot Spot Patrols and their Youth Organizing Initiative, respectively. For more information on MAPC and the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC), visit mapc.org/metro-mayors-coalition.