Councilman Rod Jennings Will Head Gun Violence Center

UNIVERSITY CITY, MO — Councilman Rod Jennings, who represents University City's third ward, has been appointed director of the North St. Louis County Gun Violence De-Escalation Center. The center is run by Better Family Life, a local non-profit group. Jennings decided last month not to run for reelection and will be off the council this month. He says his new directorship is why.

The Gun Violence De-Escalation Center will mediate conflicts to find non-violent solutions to disputes among community members. Working with churches and local leaders, Better Family Life has set up such centers in neighborhoods across the St. Louis metropolitan area. The goal, the group says, is to stop crime before it happens.

Better Family Life is the same group that has distributed thousands of "We Must Stop Killing Each Other" yard signs throughout the city and county.

The North County gun violence center is based in Greater St. Marks Family Church on Glen Owens Drive, east of Ferguson.

"Being a man of faith, I asked God what would he have me to do? My answer came in the form of a job offer from a great organization, Better Family Life, where I volunteered over the last ten years working with youth, neighborhood revitalization, economic development, mentoring, drug rehabilitation, homelessness and reducing gun violence," Jennings told Patch.

"I participated in my first de-escalation in Ferguson when two young women were involved in gun fight with each other," he continued. "I was shocked yet intrigued by the de-escalation process and [Better Family Life Vice President James] Clark allowed me to actively participate in the reaching of a truce agreement between the warring young women and their families."

He said, to date, the group has conducted about 30 successful de-escalations and is working with Washington University to fine tune the process.

"It was a good time to take on a new and even greater challenge, reducing gun violence in the St. Louis area," Jennings said. "Contrary to popular thought, this is not just a black or inner city issue. We have de-escalated from Walnut Park to Wildwood. I am excited that our success may never be really noticed. If we work the way have since the launch of the centers, then we will not be talking about the record breaking homocide rates in St. Louis City and County."

Photo: Rod Jennings, left, and subcontractor Tony Mackey discuss renovations to a house on Partridge Ave. in University City. (J. Ryne Danielson/Patch)