Rebroadcast: Keeping our communities safe

Note: This episode originally aired on March 24, but the show was unexpectedly interrupted by a press conference with President Joe Biden about the war in Ukraine. We are re-airing this so listeners can hear the full episode.

Everyone wants to live in a safe community. The big question is, what is the best way to prevent violence?

The 2020 murder of George Floyd created new urgency across the country to find alternatives to policing. Nashville was no exception. Over the past few years, one local anti-violence group, Gideon’s Army, has been trying out one approach called violence interruption. The approach treats violence like an infectious disease and takes a community-based approach to public safety. On today’s episode, we’ll hear how this approach has been going.

More: Nashville is about to invest about $2M in a community-based public safety program. But some anti-violence groups say that’s not enough.

We’re joined by a panel of community members who have been personally affected by violence, to hear what they would like to see the city and local advocacy groups do to keep our communities safe, beyond policing. We will also hear from some of the people doing the work, including a boxing coach and an emergency physician.  

Guests: 

• Nashville Peacemakers and Mothers over Murder founder Clemmie Greenly
• Susie McClendon, member of Mothers over Murder
• Randall Venson, founder and CEO of the International Boxing Academy of Nashville
• Dr. Katrina Green, emergency physician and board member of Gideon’s Army