LANSING — A diverse group of politicians, police, activists and other community members held its first publicized meeting Wednesday in a sweeping gun-violence prevention initiative modeled after a nationally recognized strategy founded in Omaha, Nebraska nearly two decades ago.
Lansing Mayor Andy Schor and activist Michael Lynn, who have often been at odds with each other, sat side-by-side in a conference room after the Lansing Empowerment Network held its first in-person meeting for the Lansing 360 Gun Violence Prevention Collaborative.
Lynn, Schor and other participants said the initiative has the potential to drastically reduce violence over time.
“The city is fully on board,” Schor said. “This partnership is incredible. This takes a little bit of time. We’re all here to make sure it works.”
“It won’t be a straight line,” said Willie Barney, who founded the Omaha Empowerment Network and created the Omaha 360 model. “It’s not easy. There are going to be some difficult days. We’re 18 years into it and we have difficult days still.”