CHARLOTTE CRIME PREVENTION AGENDA

A district native, Kendrick Cunningham and his neighboring friends did not have easy access to a great park or adequate entertainment venues that could have served as an avenue for healthy recreational activity in walking distance of their homes. Like district two youth who reside there today, Kendrick's park and rec was the streets or any large enough field his friends could find for a football match near their neighborhood. Many of our youth and emerging adults growing up in Charlotte’s marginalized working family communities live in concentrated poverty which is a contemporary traumatic experience. The Charlotte Crime Prevention Agenda seeks to changing the district two youth narrative by reducing their need to participate in criminal activity

PREVENTING THE SALE AND DISTRIBUTION OF ILLICIT GUNS IN THE CITY OF CHARLOTTE

Guns stolen out of vehicles in our city are often being discovered during homicide investigations. Ghost guns, guns that can be assembled without a serial number and keep owners unidentifiable, have gone rampant in our streets.

That is why Kendrick will support the work of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department's Crime Gun Suppression Team and advocate that they also pursue ghost guns. As of the beginning of this year, the team has made 162 arrests, seized 155 firearms and recovered 23 stolen guns. Ensuring the success of this team means less irresponsible and reckless gun owners in our city.

INCREASE BEFORE-SCHOOL, AFTER-SHOOL, AND SUMMER PROGRAMMING, EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND OTHER SERVICES FOR TEENAGERS AND EMERGING ADULTS

There are many reasons why young people in Charlotte are participating in crime. The lack of affordable programming and good-paying blue collar jobs in areas of concentrated poverty contribute to young people participating in robberies and other forms of crime.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, Kendrick Cunningham will work alongside the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Services to increase awareness about the Mayor's Youth Employment Program and other affordable youth programming for working families in Charlotte. Kendrick will also advocate to the Charlotte City Council and the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners for continued investment that sustains Charlotte's Community Based Violence Intervention (CBVI) programs.

INVESTING IN THE RENOVATION AND CONSTRUCTION OF PARKS AND RECREATIONAL CENTERS IN WEST MECKLENBURG COUNTY

Youth in West Mecklenburg County should not have to play in the streets. Many neighborhoods in this part of the county lack adequate parks and recreational infrastructure. This contributes to youth participating in crime to find something thrilling to do.

Kendrick championed the pathway forward in the creation of Dowd Park in the Historic Camp Greene community and the restoration Enderly Park. Kendrick will continue to advocate to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners for the renovation of existing parks and recs, as well as, the construction of new parks and recs in the western part of the county.