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The city council in Holyoke, Massachusetts, has voted on Ezekiel’s Plan, an initiative aimed at reducing gun violence in the wake of an infant’s death. The $1 million plan includes the hiring of additional police officers, bike patrols, and a city-wide surveillance camera system. While the plan sparked debate among councilors, it will be reconsidered at a later date. The mayor believes that implementing the plan could have positive impacts on the city.
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HOLYOKE, Mass. (WGGB/WSHM) – Two months after a shooting in Holyoke took the life of an infant. City councilors voted on Ezekiel’s Plan on Tuesday evening, an initiative to curb gun violence in the city, named after the shooting’s young victim.
The $1 million safety plan calls for the hiring of five additional police officers, bike patrols and a new city-wide surveillance camera system.
Holyoke city councilors took up Ezekiel’s Plan on Tuesday night, the plan named after the infant who was killed when a stray bullet from a gunfight struck a pregnant woman and killed her baby.
The $1 million public safety plan calls for a city-wide camera system connected to ShotSpotter. The addition of five police officers and a slew of community outreach initiatives.
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The plan sparked debate amongst city councilors.
“Ezekiel’s Plan itself is good law enforcement sense,” expressed City Councilor Joseph McGiverin. “It’s well thought out and it’s geared to the safety of things that should be happening.”
“This is something simply we cannot afford on a whole bunch of levels,” explained City Councilor Kevin Jourdain. “We already have a 2 to 3-million-dollar structural budget deficit. If we were to approve this later tonight, dollar for dollar, this is going to get added to taxes.”
Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia told Western Mass News another concern he’s heard about the plan is the possibility of over policing and he disputes those claims.
“This plan doesn’t mean over-policing,” said Mayor Garcia. “It means building up the adequate capacity we need at the department so we can keep up with the responsibilities of that department.”
Garcia added that if Ezekiel’s plan is implemented, residents could feel the positive impacts in the city over the next year.
“We need to do more than just having just a reactionary position,” added Mayor Garcia. “Whether it’s on the board of health, police, our building department. We need to take on more forward-thinking effort.”
The city council did not reach the majority of votes needed to pass the $1 million budget needed to fund Ezekiel’s Plan but they did vote unanimously to reconsider the plan at a later date.
Copyright 2023. Western Mass News (WGGB/WSHM). All rights reserved.
Holyoke City Councilors in Massachusetts recently voted on an initiative named Ezekiel’s Plan, aimed at reducing gun violence in the city. This plan, named after an infant who tragically lost his life in a shooting incident, involves various measures to enhance public safety.
The $1 million safety plan includes the hiring of five additional police officers, implementing bike patrols, and installing a new city-wide surveillance camera system. The objective is to increase police presence and improve monitoring capabilities to address the issue of gun violence effectively.
The plan drew both support and opposition among city councilors. City Councilor Joseph McGiverin expressed his approval, stating that it is a well-thought-out initiative that prioritizes public safety. On the other hand, City Councilor Kevin Jourdain voiced concerns about the city’s financial constraints, as there is already a significant budget deficit. He emphasized that approving the plan would burden taxpayers further.
Addressing concerns about over-policing, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia emphasized that Ezekiel’s Plan aims to enhance the capacity of the police department rather than promote excessive policing. He believes that implementing the plan will have positive impacts on the city over the next year.
Although the city council did not reach the majority of votes required to pass the $1 million budget for Ezekiel’s Plan, they unanimously agreed to reconsider it at a later date. This indicates that there is still interest in pursuing measures to curb gun violence in Holyoke.
Mayor Garcia emphasized the importance of adopting a proactive approach rather than a reactive one. He believes that the city needs to invest in forward-thinking efforts across various departments, such as the police, health, and building departments, to create a safer and more resilient community.
Overall, the discussion surrounding Ezekiel’s Plan highlights the complex considerations involved in addressing gun violence while balancing financial constraints. The plan’s future remains uncertain, but the commitment to revisiting the initiative indicates a collective desire to prioritize public safety in Holyoke..
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Glenn Kittle,Marcos Figueroa,Abigail Murillo Villacorta said Holyoke City Councilors discuss vote on ‘Ezekiel’s Plan’ for safer streets
