Fayetteville Today

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The City of Fayetteville is gearing up to host a significant event aimed at addressing pressing public safety issues. Scheduled for April 30, the Public Safety Summit will take place at the Fayetteville State University’s Student Union from 1 – 4:30 p.m.

"This summit is designed to support the City's development of the Office of Community Safety by beginning a broader discussion to address a range of public safety issues that are impacting Fayetteville and the rest of the country," shared the organizers.

The summit aims to kickstart a landscape analysis in preparation for the launch of the Office of Community Safety, focusing on meeting the specific needs of Fayetteville. "The intended outcome for the summit will be the start of a landscape analysis in support of the launching the OCS to best serve the needs of Fayetteville," stated the organizers.

Key stakeholders from Fayetteville, alongside local and state partners, will engage in facilitated discussions to collectively address areas such as violent crime intervention, youth intervention, mental health response, and homelessness. The goal is to identify existing services and gaps within those services. "Fayetteville, along with other local and state partners, will participate in a facilitated discussion in order to come together and collaboratively discuss violent crime intervention, youth intervention, mental health response and homelessness," highlighted the organizers.

Leading the summit as the overall facilitator will be Dr. Gerald Tate, the Executive Director of the North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention. Dr. Tate had previously engaged with the Fayetteville City Council on public safety matters during a Work Session in February. "Dr. Gerald Tate, who currently serves as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention, previously discussed public safety and the development of the Office of Community Safety with Fayetteville City Council during the Feb. 5 Work Session held in City Hall," noted the organizers.

Joining Dr. Tate as co-facilitators are Capt. James Jones, Nichelle Gaines, David Curtis, and Devon Newton, with a host of participants and partners from various city and county agencies contributing their input and guidance. "Tate will serve as the overall facilitator for the summit with Capt. James Jones, Nichelle Gaines, David Curtis, and Devon Newton all serving as co-facilitators," emphasized the organizers.

The Public Safety Summit is open to the community, with limited seating available. Interested individuals are encouraged to arrive early to secure their spot at this crucial event.