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Mayor Warren Emerges From NY Mayor Summit Optimistic

Mayor Warren meets via teleconference with big city New York mayors and their offices.
City of Rochester
Mayor Warren meets via teleconference with big city New York mayors and their offices.

Mayor Lovely Warren says, when she spoke with her fellow mayors, she recognized some of the strategies they had in place to combat violence.

"As we're starting to talk we're like, 'Yeah, we're doing that,' or, 'Yeah, we have something similar to that,' and so we're all trying similar approaches to deter violence."

For instance, Warren says she learned Buffalo has a Peacemakers program, like Rochester's Pathway to Peace, and Yonkers utilizes clergy in one anti-violence program.

Warren says what she's most interested in, though, is what's working. That's why she met with the offices of the other five big city mayors, via video conference. She says they discussed possible strategies and best practices for keeping guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals.

"All across the country you see an uptick in violence, and it's not just impacting Rochester. It's a common thread among all of our cities."

Mayor Warren was joined by: Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner and Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano. Advisers from the offices of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan also took part.

Warren says they're working together toward a comprehensive plan they can bring to both state and federal lawmakers.

"Mayors are the people on the ground. We're the ones that are working day in and day out with our citizens. We're the ones that feel it skin-to-skin, when they hurt we hurt. And we want to make sure that we're doing everything collectively and individually to make sure that our citizens are getting the best support but also that the people who commit these crimes are being held accountable."

Warren says their offices will continue to work together on not only the criminal justice aspect of these crimes, but also deterring people from criminal lifestyles.

Veronica Volk is a senior editor and producer for WXXI News.