JOE’S KEY ISSUES:

Community Safety

JOE’S PRIORITIES:

Keeping the Star City a safe place to live, work, and play.

AS MAYOR I WILL:

  • Work to sustain competitive and equitable compensation for public safety personnel including Fire/EMS, police and sheriff’s departments

  • Support expanded training and professional development facilities for both Fire/EMS and Police departments and upgrades for the Adult Detention Center

  • Support continued implementation of the gun violence reduction strategies in the city with a sustained reduction in incidents of gun violence

  • Support continued implementation of community-based efforts to address the opioid epidemic through harm reduction, treatment services, recovery programs and housing and effective distribution of opioid abatement authority funds to evidence-based programs

Joe's Community Safety Accomplishments:

  • 20-million-dollar investment to increase city employee compensation including competitive increases in starting pay and community safety step plan increases

  • Construction of Fire Station No. 7

  • Initiated implementation of Marcus Alert System/Program – accompanied by local partnership with Blue Ridge Behavioral Health providing mental health caseworkers/negotiators

  • Oliver W. Hill Justice Center Upgrades in Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court, Security, Commonwealth Attorney’s Offices and Magistrate’s Office

  • Secured state funding to hire a Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Coordinator and two Outreach Workers and sustained funding through the General Budget and Attorney General’s office

  • Led effort to conduct a first ever Youth and Gang Violence Community Assessment (2021) and second Gun Violence Community Assessment (2023-24)

  • Led effort to establish the Gun Violence Prevention Commission in developing and implementing a strategic plan focused on prevention, intervention and response in collaboration with the Roanoke Police Department, City of Roanoke, and over 100 community partners, and the citizens of Roanoke

  • Initiated Star City Safe Effort, which includes expanded library hours and teen apprenticeship program (7 cohorts have graduated in coordination with RESET team)

  • Initiated Gun Lock Safety Initiative, expanded to “Lock in Safety, Unlock Hope”

  • Roanoke named a Ceasefire Community and is enacting a new Group Violence Intervention Initiative

  • New Group Violence Intervention Prevention Coordinator, Eric Mayo, begins work in 2024