ECHO Housing & Community Development hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday to gather community feedback on Evansville 360, a proposed new approach to reducing violence in Evansville.
The initiative models itself on Omaha 360, a community-led violence-prevention project that partners with schools, nonprofits, churches, businesses and law enforcement to intervene against violence and provide rapid response, according to Our Times' Oct. 30 reporting.
ECHO executive director Savanah Wicker said the initiative will go through three phases before full implementation: phase one runs through December, phase two runs from January through March 2027, and phase three is planned for completion by summer or early fall 2027. City officials said the work will start in the Glenwood community.
Residents at the meeting focused on challenges facing younger people, including a lack of places for teens to go, limited economic opportunities, unresolved trauma and limited access to other paths toward success. They asked for structured activities outside school hours, counseling for young people who have experienced violence, and consistent relationships with trusted adults.
Police Chief Philip Smith said he is optimistic about Evansville 360. Our Times cited the department's 2025 annual statistics showing a 43.5% decrease in shooting victims and a 60% decrease in murders, alongside a 47% increase in guns seized.
