Late in 2021, as Baton Rouge staggered toward a second consecutive record number of homicides, several members of the business community gathered together, hoping to come up with a plan to reduce violent crime.
As Business Report writes in its latest issue, what they came up with is a multifaceted approach that includes high-definition security cameras for crime hot spots, as well as collaborations with community groups on programs to offer services to families and give students an after-school center to study and play.
By themselves, the businesspeople weren’t going to create an effective solution or solutions to stop violent crime, says Nial Patel, the de facto head of the organization known as SafeBR. That kind of effort requires the entire community.
One of SafeBR’s biggest projects is a major study—conducted in partnership with local, state and federal law enforcement, as well as community and public leaders—that examines how Baton Rouge can learn from other communities making transformative investments in law enforcement support and practices.
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