LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Little Rock is moving forward with a Public Safety Commission. On Monday, the city's Board of Directors approved the formation of the commission to create solutions for violent crime.
The Public Safety Commission is part of the mayor's crime reduction plan. It will bring outside voices to the table that some people in Little Rock say is necessary.
"A lot of our problems are broken homes, and a lot of people are living in poverty," Little Rock resident Antoine Jones said.
Jones became a leader in fighting violent crime after he graduated from Arkansas Baptist College.
"It's very important for us to put resources together to give back to the community," Jones said. "That's what we're lacking."
He supports the creation of Little Rock's Public Safety Commission.
Jones said from his own experiences it's vital for people to know our city leaders care about their own and want to hear what they have to say.
"I didn't even know people in the higher-ups cared," Jones said. "Now I know they do."
Christopher Harvey, senior advisor to the Little Rock mayor, said filling the commission with people who live in the community is vital.
"We know a lot of times, with people who live in a lot of these communities, sometimes they have the best solutions," Harvey said. "They're the ones who are seeing this, and they're the ones who are living through this every day."
The commission will comprise a community member from each ward and six other at-large members.
There will also be representatives from the city, like a board director, mayor's staff, police department and city attorney's office.
"We don't want it to seem like here's going to be a spitball session," Harvey said. "We are seeing what sticks, and then we will send it to the board... We want to make sure any recommendations that come before the city board are things that we don't already do. We are not duplicating resources, and there's something that could actually be of help."
The Little Rock Chief of Police also expressed his support for the commission, hoping it can foster more trust between law enforcement and the community.
Which is something Jones said is needed.
"They start wanting to get jobs," Jones said. "They start wanting to own their own businesses. They start wanting to meet a prosecutor. Maybe shake hands with your local officers. People in our community start wanting to do better."
To apply for the commission, click here. The board will have the final say and appoint members to the commission.