Cedar Rapids exploring partnerships to address gun violence

CEDAR RAPIDS - Cedar Rapids is exploring the possibility of partnering with the University of Iowa to study violence in the city.

Discussions, however, are in the very early stages.

During a meeting of the Safe, Equitable and Thriving (SET) Communities Task Force on Thursday, Police Chief Wayne Jerman said he has exchanged emails this week with Dr. Corinne Peek-Asa, the Associate Dean for Research in the UI's College of Public Health. Peek-Asa works in the Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, and her area of expertise is injury and violence prevention, according to her biography on the college's website.

Jerman said he reached out to Peek-Asa this week at the suggestion of United States Attorney Kevin Techau.

'She is very interested in partnering with us and this task force,” Jerman told the task force.

Jerman's comments came in response to a community organization, 1 Strong, asking the Cedar Rapids City Council to consider asking the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate violence in the city as an epidemic. The group cited a study done by the CDC on Wilmington, Del., a city of 70,000 that saw a 45 percent increase in shootings from 2011 to 2013, according to a New York Times article. The CDC analyzed the violence increase from an epidemiological perspective.

Jerman said he was not at last Tuesday's council meeting, but said he watched a video clip of 1 Strong's presentation and has read the CDC's report on Wilmington. He was quick to point out Thursday the differences between Wilmington and Cedar Rapids. Jerman said Wilmington saw 122 shootings with 157 victims in one year, whereas Cedar Rapids had only 29 incidents where someone was actually shot in 2015. Cedar Rapids' population is approximately 130,000.

'I don't know if ‘epidemic' is the correct label to place,” on Cedar Rapids' violence, Jerman said in an interview. 'I think it's important that we don't put Cedar Rapids in the same category as Wilmington.”

That said, Jerman said he is open to explore any options when it comes to addressing gun violence, including working with the CDC. Jerman said he is still researching the process of requesting assistance from the CDC.

'I am very willing to look at any initiative, strategy or program that is going to reduce gun violence in the city,” he said.

At this point, Jerman said he is just trying to learn what the College of Public Health could contribute.

Bernard Clayton, a member of 1 Strong who was at Thursday's meeting, urged the committee to contact the CDC, noting there was a 'clear path” to the organization.

'You do not have to go through the University of Iowa,” he said.

Former city council member Dale Todd, a member of the SET Task Force, applauded 1 Strong in bringing a suggestion to the city council, but said he was resistant to the idea of doing a study.

'I would rather not spend a lot of time studying,” he said. 'I'd rather put the emphasis on the resources, on getting additional resources.”

Jerman said his next step was to set up a meeting with Peek-Asa. She could not be reached for comment on Thursday.