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The statement comes after several high-profile violent crimes in Worcester this year, with some involving youth suspects.
Worcester officials put out a statement Friday acknowledging youth violence in the city and announcing plans to reduce it, including starting a program meant to deter summer crime two weeks earlier than initially planned.
The statement from Mayor Joseph M. Petty, the City Council, and City Manager Eric D. Batista says the city is working with local organizations, including those focused on youth, to produce “acute and long-term sustainable solutions to reduce acts of violence in our community.”
“Efforts to address recent incidents, as well as intervention and prevention, are a collective effort that require a thoughtful, intentional, holistic approach driven by a deep understanding of the systemic causes of violent behavior,” the statement reads.
The move comes after the city has seen an increasing number of crimes since the start of the year, some of which resulted in arrests of teen suspects.
Most recently, two 16-year-old boys were arrested in connection to the shooting death of a 14-year-old at the end of April. A 16-year-old was arrested last week after allegedly shooting the driver of a car that eventually crashed into a house on Paine Street, and an 18 and 19 year old were among the four people arrested in connection with a Clarkson Street shooting in early April.
City officials said efforts to curb violence would begin immediately, with the Summer Impact program starting two weeks earlier than expected. The program, which targets increased violence in the summer, involves more officers “conducting community engagement patrols on foot and in cruisers,” Worcester Police Chief Paul Saucier said in a statement.
“Our top priority is to reduce violent crime and keep Worcester safe,” Saucier said.
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