Erie County departments, community groups and individuals have come together to form the Erie County Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. This task force was created in July 2021 by Erie County Executive Order #22, declaring gun violence to be a public health crisis
The Task Force is charged with preparing programs and initiatives addressing six areas of concern:
- decrease gun violence among youth;
- increase funding to programs specifically designed to reduce gun-violence;
- work with local law enforcement agencies to create strategies to reduce the number of illegal firearms in Erie County;
- work with marginalized populations to provide education on gun violence, issues and solutions;
- advocate for relevant policies that improve health in communities of color; and
- support local, State, and Federal programs that advance anti-gun violence initiatives.