Governor Stein Signs Executive Order to Combat Gang Violence, Establishes New Task Force

RALEIGH, N.C – In a move to enhance public safety and address the root causes of violence, Governor Josh Stein today signed Executive Order 21, which continues the work of the Office of Violence Prevention and creates a new Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force.

The initiatives are designed to foster collaboration between law enforcement, health professionals, and community organizations to build safer communities across the state.

"To keep people safe, we need to do everything we can to prevent violence from occurring in the first place," said Governor Stein. "I am proud to advance these initiatives to seek out the root causes of violence, including gang violence. We must bring law enforcement, health professionals, and community organizations to the table to create safer communities."

Executive Order 21 solidifies the continuation of the Office of Violence Prevention, a key initiative from Governor Stein’s time as Attorney General. The office’s mission is to reduce violence and firearm misuse by coordinating efforts across state agencies and supporting local communities with evidence-based strategies. It will also re-establish an Advisory Board composed of health professionals, government leaders, law enforcement officers, and community-based organizations.

Additionally, the Governor established the Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force, housed within the Governor’s Crime Commission. This new task force will be co-chaired by Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes and Director of the North Carolina Office of Violence Prevention Siarra Scott.

The task force will focus on reducing the presence and impact of gang activity, with a specific emphasis on preventing young people from joining gangs. Its membership will be diverse, including law enforcement, educators, legal representatives, mental health experts, and individuals who have successfully left gangs.

"We must target gang violence at its source, and that means providing more support to vulnerable youth and giving law enforcement the resources they need to address violence," said Governor’s Crime Commission Executive Director Caroline Farmer.

Department of Adult Correction Secretary Leslie Cooley Dismukes highlighted the importance of a multi-faceted approach. "Many probation officers in our communities and staff in our prison facilities are specially trained to work with people who are involved with gangs. Their expertise will be key in our prevention efforts," she said.

The announcement is part of Governor Stein’s broader public safety agenda, which also includes a call to the General Assembly to pass a budget that provides raises for law enforcement and bonuses for new hires to address staffing shortages.