Davenport Peace Initiative

New Peace Group formed in collaboration with the Police Department to combat gun violence. Group meets on the fourth Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Davenport Police Department’s community room.

Several of us attended the newly formed Davenport Peace Initiative on Thursday at the Davenport Police Station.

“Our community and our police department don’t have the best relationship so we want to be something fresh and new.”

This article written by Marci Clark of TV6 talks about the new group.

DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - A Davenport peace group is hoping to put an end to gun violence. Davenport Peace held a community prayer Saturday morning at the Davenport Police Department to mark the start of a new partnership between the department and several youth agencies.

“Our community and our police department don’t have the best relationship so we want to be something fresh and new,” says Stephen Echols, an organizer of Davenport Peace, “We want to come together and be the bridge between our community and our local police department. We want to build that trust and peace of mind with our community.”

The group is partnering with the Davenport Community School District, the juvenile detention center, Hope at the Brick House, the Lincoln Center, and the Davenport Police Department.

“We are creating partnerships with every agency that has a bridge with our young people. We want to connect with them so they can learn how to trust our local officers and the community to help bring peace within our city,” says Echols.

Organizers say by creating mentorship programs and trust, they will help put a stop to juvenile gun violence.

“Because we have that relationship with the kids, we will be able to translate what needs to be said and set up systems so we can help them not end up six feet under and not end up in jail. That’s our purpose, to create peace,” Echols says.

The Davenport Police Department says they are in full support of the work to bring peace to the Quad Cities.

“That’s what it’s all about is connections and building trust and partnering with different agencies to make sure that our children in our community are safe,” says Sgt. Andrew Harris, an officer on the community impact team within the Davenport Police Department.

The Davenport peace group will meet on the fourth Thursday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Davenport Police Department’s community room. Everyone is invited for the prayer and bible study.