Mayor’s campaign to reduce violence begins
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) – Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke’s violence reduction plan has kicked off with letters that were sent to 25 convicted offenders on probation.
The letters ask the group to attend a meeting and threaten that failure to appear could be considered a probation violation.
The Chattanooga Times Free Press (http://bit.ly/1cBUBII) reports the meeting this month will feature prosecutors, police officers, community leaders and crime victims who will convey a single message: The violence has to stop.
The letters mark the start of Berke’s initiative after officials spent months of study, training, discussion and meetings to decide how best to deal with rising violence.
Those who attend the meeting will be told that local outreach programs will help as they try to change their lives and in exchange officials want fewer shootings.
