On Friday, June 6, multiple Madison city officials gathered at city hall for a press conference to kick off the Wear Orange weekend events, a nationwide movement that works to end gun violence.
Multiple city officials, like Chief of the Madison City Police John Patterson, addressed the media with statements regarding the importance of gun safety in the Madison community.
“Gun violence is not just a national problem. It’s a local problem. It’s a Madison problem, and it’s a Dane County problem,” Patterson said.
Patterson talked about the ways in which gun violence can be prevented through gun safety education, access to mental health services and putting firearms in a secure place.
County executive Melissa Agard expanded on Patterson’s remarks, emphasizing the need for common sense gun laws in the community.
“In Wisconsin, the majority of us, including responsible gun owners, support common sense measures like background checks, safe storage laws and red frame flag laws,” Agard said.
Highlighting the role local government plays in preventing gun violence, Agard talked about the policies, programs and services offered in Dane County for preventing gun violence.
Dane County’s Joint Public Health Department works to provide services that are targeting gun violence prevention at the root causes, working with community based partners to identify risk factors of violence, member of the leadership team for Madison and Dane County Public Health Aurielle Smith said
Smith said they work directly with individuals at the highest risk of being involved with violence, as well as supporting those who have been victimized by violence.
“I want to acknowledge the work that our Violence Intervention Team does for the community. They play a critical role in breaking the cycle of violence within our communities,” Smith, who oversees violence prevention programming, said. “They provide that immediate support, conflict mediation and connections to life saving resources.”
Other speakers like Madison Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway and Director-Public Health Madison & Dane County Janel Heinrich also spoke. Both articulated a need for change to help decrease gun violence in the Madison Community.
Events concerning gun violence prevention will continue throughout the weekend in Madison as a part of the Wear Orange project, with the weekend long event ending on Sunday with a community resource event.
“Change only happens when we show up and we speak out, whether we’re at our Capitol building, in our city county building, or at our kitchen tables, silence and a lack of action help no one, but action will save lives here in Dane County,” Agard said.
