Volunteers Needed For New Violence Prevention Task Force In Prince George's County

HOWARD COUNTY, MD — Residents are being sought to serve on a new violence prevention task force in Prince George County. The violence prevention task force will consist of 21 members and include county government officials, faith-based leaders, community advocates, police personnel, business leaders and county residents.

“Last year, we launched our new anti-gun violence initiative, the Hope in Action Project, in an effort to address the rise of violent crime in our communities,” County Executive Angela Alsobrooks said. “We have reached out to our non-profit community to support our efforts and we are now asking for the support of community members in this effort. The issue of violence can only be solved by the county government and community working together, and we look forward to receiving applications from Prince Georgians interested in serving on this important task force.”

The goal of the Hope in Action Anti-Violence Project is to strengthen sustainable peace efforts in Prince George’s County by helping to reduce violent crime through collaboration with local law enforcement and community stakeholders. This effort will identify individuals (youth and adults) at the highest risk of gun violence to coordinate individualized wrap-around resources.

The task force will work to:

1. Prevent violence and abusive behavior before it begins: The task force is charged with identifying ways to help young people – both those who have been exposed to gun violence and those who have not – break the cycle of violence and develop healthy relationship skills before abuse begins. The task force will help to plan family-friendly, anti-violence events alongside the “Hope Collective” (nonprofit partners).
2. Map critical community needs: The task force is charged with identifying critical areas in the county where violence is an issue and working on a comprehensive plan to aid in resource sharing with nonprofit partners and various stakeholders.
3. Create strategies for long-term violence reduction: The task force is charged with identifying ways to reduce recidivism and making recommendations on resources needed that will provide support for youth and young adults to become productive members of society. The recommendations will be identified in a task force report.

The county is accepting applications for the violence prevention task force until 5 p.m. Feb. 11. Individuals who would like to be considered for the task force must be a Prince George’s County resident and should complete and submit the application to HIATaskForce@co.pg.md.us by the deadline.