DAVENPORT, Iowa — Gun deaths across the country are at its highest level in decades, according to the CDC.
The spike is impacting the Quad Cities, which is leading area leaders to beef up ways to tackle the epidemic.
Davenport recently rolled out a program to offer resources to wanted or past offenders. The strategy has been used across the country for a number of years.
Smaller communities outside of the Quad Cities are now coming up with ways to deter crime by using technology and children.
CAMANCHE
The City of Camanche has installed around a half-dozen license plate reader cameras in town.
"With a major highway going through the community, that is a corridor for criminal activity," Camanche city administrator Andrew Kida said.
The devices are placed along the highway 67 bi-pass that surrounds the main intersections leading into Camanche.
"It provides us a lot more eyeballs as to what's going on rather than having a police station at every corner in the community," Camanche Police Department Chief Rich Schmitz said. "We've kind of protected most of the industry based on where we located the cameras."
The equipment records quality information for officials, such as vehicle descriptions and license plates.
"You'll get a list that'll have all the plate numbers associated with them," Schmitz said.
The system can be incredibly effective in cases like Amber and Silver Alerts for missing people.
"The reason I wanted to get them instituted here in Camanche, is because the Breasia Terrell case," Schmitz said. "There were hundreds of volunteers and officers searching the area of Camanche because the suspect was believed to have been in this area. Had we had those cameras when that took place, we definitely would have saved a lot of time and efforts focused on this area."
Grants helped pay for a portion of the detectors and roughly $20,000 is the initial total charge for use.
LOCAL SHOOTING STATS (January - October 2022)
Injuries Homicides
- Clinton
- 2022 8 3
- Muscatine
- 2022 1 N/A
- Burlington
- 2022 3 N/A
- Galesburg
- 2022 12 4
GALESBURG
A way Galesburg is trying to get ahead of more violence involves children.
"You hear this in every community, 'There's not much for the youth to do," Galesburg community service supervisor Tony Oligney-Estill said.
The City has revamped its youth commission after being inactive during the height of the pandemic.
"I get to help put my ideas out there," one student said.
"You guys can be a catalyst for your generation to say something positive and more importantly, do something positive," Galesburg resident Anthony Law said.
Children who are under the age of 18 are tasked with developing the area and being a voice for issues facing the community.
"There are a lot of issues that we don't even think of as adults, that children notice," Galesburg Mayor Peter Schwartzman said. "They're like ambassadors to the city. Most students in this city don't know who their counselors are, or the mayor."
Each student receives a monthly $30 stipend for their service.
"These are lessons that they're going to learn today, they're learning and growing, but this is going to help them down the road," Oligney-Estill said.
To learn more about the commission, click/tap here.
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