The Violence Must Stop: We Need Solutions Beyond More Police

Violence in this country continues to spiral out of control. Almost every day, national and local news outlets report another shooting, another family grieving, and another community asking the same painful question: How did we allow this to keep happening?

In my home state of Georgia, politicians and law enforcement officials often point to statistics showing that the overall crime rate is declining. However, those numbers do not always reflect what people are experiencing in their neighborhoods.

When residents of the Atlanta metropolitan area hear about multiple shootings in a single day, it is difficult to convince them that everything is improving. A statistical decline does not provide much comfort to a mother who has lost her child, a family afraid to sit on its front porch, or a community that hears gunfire night after night.

We must also understand that more police officers alone will not solve this crisis. A police officer cannot predict exactly when someone will lose control, settle an argument with a gun, or decide to take another person’s life. In most cases, law enforcement arrives after the shooting has already occurred.

Police have an important role, but prevention must begin long before an officer is called.

We must address the anger, hopelessness, untreated trauma, family instability, lack of opportunity, and easy access to firearms that often contribute to violence. Parents, schools, churches, community organizations, business owners, mental health professionals, elected officials, and responsible citizens must all become part of the solution.

We need conflict-resolution programs that teach young people how to handle disagreements without violence. We need mentors who are willing to guide children before the streets influence them. We need stronger support for struggling families, more employment opportunities, accessible mental health services, and safe places where young people can learn, grow, and feel valued.

We must also stop treating violence as normal. It should never become acceptable to hear about another shooting and simply move on to the next news story. Every victim was someone’s child, parent, sibling, friend, or neighbor.

This problem will not be solved by slogans, political speeches, or temporary programs created after a tragedy. It will require a long-term commitment from all of us.

The question is no longer whether violence is destroying our communities. We can see the damage every day. The real question is whether we are finally willing to come together, confront the causes, and do the difficult work required to stop it.

The violence has gone on for far too long. We must find a way to resolve this crisis. It has to stop.

Read. Share. Join the conversation.

What do you believe our communities can do to prevent the next senseless tragedy?

Marvin Dixon/Founder

VMGreview.com, Verifacts Investigation, and Frontline Investigator Training Academy.