Gov. Matt Bevin's solution to violence: West End prayer patrols

Gov. Matt Bevin said in a jam-packed meeting Thursday that his plan to confront Louisville's growing violence is to have roaming prayer groups in the West End.

Bevin urged faith leaders, public officials and residents to take a 10-block span, walk corner to corner, and pray with the community two to three times a week during the next year.

He said later Thursday that the walks are meant to be organic and won't necessarily be led by his office. He didn't specify a start date but suggested that local churches should get involved with the effort.

"I'm going to ask you to walk that block, do it at the same time every single week," Bevin said. "I'm going to ask you to stick with your block all year."

Watch: Governor explains plan to stop violence

Background: Bevin blasts 'out of control' gun violence in Louisville

Mayor Greg Fischer, who was not at Bevin's meeting, said solutions to violence "are many, but a lot of them require resources obviously" from housing to education and health care. He said his administration always encourages residents to get more involved with the Office of Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods and other community programs.

"This is not going to be solved overnight, so if anybody wants to help, we welcome you," Fischer said.

Bevin pointed to several West End ZIP codes in need of the spiritual actions he outlined — he suggested 10 or more walks in 40203, 40210, 40211, 40212 and 40215 in his document titled "Reclaiming Our Communities."

At least 400 people crammed into Western Middle School's auditorium to listen to the governor's speech, which was met with hecklers, applause and, occasionally, standing ovations.

Toya Johnson, a retired bus driver, said the problems are not only violence but also drugs and homelessness. She thinks investing money in the West End is a better solution.

During the speech, Johnson yelled out, calling Bevin a "hyprocite." Others called out, asking if Bevin was going to participate in the block walks.

“He doesn't care about the West End,” she said after walking out early. “He is an insult to Louisville. … He won’t come down and walk with us.”

Micheshia Norment, whose 7-year-old son Dequante Hobbs was killed by a stray bullet last week, was sitting in the front row of the auditorium. Cierra Miller, who lost her 16-month-old daughter Ne’Riah in August 2014, was also present.

Watch: Mothers of children killed by gun violence react to Bevin's plan

Norment said Bevin's plan was a "good thought" but was skeptical of how it would work. She said she doesn't see his plan effecting change.

"It doesn't matter if it's practical or not," Norment said. "It won't bring my son back."

Thirty minutes before the meeting, the West Louisville Ministers Coalition held a pre-press conference rebuking Bevin's approach to solving the violence. The ministers suggested 10 ways for Bevin to curb the killings.

"If you are serious about fixing violence in west Louisville, then you must have the courage to address its root causes of injustice and racism," the Rev. Clay Calloway said.

More: Religious leaders offer 10 suggestions for Gov. Matt Bevin's violence plan

Rashaad Abdur-Rahman, director of Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods, which leads many of Louisville Metro's anti-violence programs, said while going into the governor's meeting that many of Bevin's comments were worrying.

"Unfortunately, I think he's already indicated that he's not interested in bringing resources to the table," Abdur-Rahman said. "He's really having an oversimplified discussion about a cultural and spiritual deficit, which is really irresponsible at the end of the day."

Bevin said he would like those who want to get involved to contact his office to see what blocks they can take.

"I'm just asking you to genuinely pray for the people on that block," Bevin said.

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At a press conference at Shawnee Park following the event, he said there isn’t going to be a particular group or government agency tasked with organizing these block walks and signing up volunteers.

“I’m not going to have a commissioner of prayer walks,” he said. “We’re not going to have 1-800 numbers and websites.

“You don’t need permission from me how to do it. You know, you walk to a corner, pray for the people, talk to people along the way,” he said. “No songs, no singing, no bullhorn, no T-shirts, no chanting. Be pleasant, talk to the people, that’s it.”

As of Thursday morning, Louisville Metro Police had handled 52 criminal homicide investigations, according to a Courier-Journal count. That put the department on pace to surpass the 118 investigations last year, the most in the department's 14-year history. An additional 145 people had been shot through April.

Calloway, an associate pastor at St. Stephen Baptist on South 15th Street, exited the meeting with Bevin after about an hour, saying he needed a “barf bag” because he was sick of the governor’s religious overture. He and a group of clergymen admonished Bevin for failing to offer any political solutions as an elected official.

“He didn’t say anything of substance,” Calloway said. “He has a responsibility to produce public policy, regulation and provide resources. We don’t need a sermon or him quoting Scripture, we know the Bible and we’re already praying.”

But some people left the event encouraged by Bevin’s remarks.

Demetrius Gray, CEO of Reliant Exteriors, 538 S. 26th St., said the governor was sending a message to faith leaders outside of western Louisville to get more involved. He said his company will seek to adopt two blocks in the Russell neighborhood because of Bevin's remarks.

“We probably could be doing more and I did feel challenged in that way,” said Gray, who attends Southeast Christian Church, which Bevin also attends. “And to be honest, it’s the first time we’ve ever been asked.”

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The meeting — which Bevin initially said would be closed to the media — was open because the governor's spokeswoman, Amanda Stamper, signed a contract on May 25 to use the Western Middle School auditorium, according to documents obtained by the Courier-Journal. The terms and conditions of the Jefferson County Public Schools contract specified that "all meetings shall be open to the public."

Metro Councilwoman Angela Leet, a Republican who has called for Louisville police Chief Steve Conrad to resign over the homicide rate, said the governor displayed courage by talking so openly about the role faith must play in combating violence.

“For a politician to step out and wear his spirituality on his sleeve I thought was a good thing, and I’m motivated on how to adopt a block and take that first step,” she said.

Leet, who represents the 7th District in eastern Louisville, said Bevin’s message wasn’t to undermine the work West End ministers or others are currently doing. She said it’s difficult to have these conversations given Louisville’s deeply segregated neighborhoods.

“We have tension in this community,” Leet said. “If we don’t acknowledge there’s tension among the races here, we are never going to move forward. And that was part of what I heard today.”

Asked about residents upset with the governor's speech, Fischer said Louisville has a very strong faith community but that there are legislative solutions state leaders could take up. He mentioned that his administration has sought stiffer sentencing for felons who commit a crime using a firearm.

Earlier this year, Fischer's office also said it wanted to talk with state lawmakers about a proposal to require that all gun transactions in the city go through a licensed firearms dealer. The mayor also said last year that he supported giving Louisville the ability to pass local gun control measures.

Courier-Journal reporters Morgan Watkins and Allison Ross contributed to this article. Reporter Phillip M. Bailey can be reached at 502-582-4475 or pbailey@courier-journal.com. Reporter Justin Sayers can be reached at 502-582-4252 or jsayers@courier-journal.com. Reporter Thomas Novelly can be reached at 502-582-4465 or tnovelley@gannett.com.

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