ABOUT OPERATION ECHO STOP
On February 1, 2022, the City of Mobile launched Operation Echo Stop in an effort to reduce gun violence within our community. Operation Echo Stop was named in concert with the effort to reduce the sound of gunfire, heard too often throughout our city and in other communities nationwide. The City of Mobile has initiated a unique and diverse strategy to combat gun violence, unlike any others across the country, namely consisting of four key components or "corners" of the operation.
- Prevention
- Deterrence
- Compliance
- Detection
All four components of the operation are required, and without any one of them Operation Echo Stop will not succeed. Inversely, in and of themselves, no one corner of this operation can reduce gun violence in a meaningful way. The approach requires cooperation of law enforcement, the community and civic leaders across the city. It is not simply an operation that law enforcement launched, it is an undertaking where success will be driven by effective participation.
Our community can interact and become involved in making Mobile the safest city with respect for everyone. The overall success of this operation will be assessed over the course of the next 3-5 years with an outcome-driven model designed around a reduction of gun violence and an improved perception of safety within the City of Mobile. That said, Operation Echo Stop is designed around the urgency of impeding violence and improving perception.
ECHO STOP LIVE PODCAST
Tune
in to the Echo Stop Live Podcast every Friday morning at 8:30.
Click a link below to watch LIVE on YouTube or Facebook.
Get the latest updates on the efforts of Operation Echo Stop and learn how you can get involved. Hosts are Kevin Levy and Curtis Graves with guest appearances from members of the community. The first podcast episode aired October 7, 2022.
february 2023 PODCASTS
Send in your questions and comments to echostoplive@gmail.com.
Friday, FEB. 3, 2023 - EPISODE 18
- Topic - Voices of the Community Series. The Police Captain. Joined by Police Captain Lee Laffitte, First Precinct commander, the hosts express truths regarding the value of human life and acknowledge the disapproval of the actions of the Memphis police officers. Captain Laffitte has served in law enforcement for 20 years and works daily to strengthen police-community relations.
FRIDAY, FEB. 10, 2023 - EPISODE 19
- Topic - Voices of the Community Series. Mothers Part I. Hosts talk with members of a new support group who believe there is healing in shared trauma. It's called Mothers Involved Against Gun Violence.
FRIDAY, FEB. 17, 2023 - EPISODE 20
- Topic - Voices of the Community Series. Mothers Part II. Lead organizer of Mothers Involved Against Gun Violence, Nija Hill, shares how she has learned to cope after losing her son to gun violence and invites the community to the group's first big community event.
FRIDAY, FEB. 24, 2023 - EPISODE 21
- Topic - Voices of the Community Series. The Coach. Former Boston Red Sox and University of Alabama pitcher Phil Quigley talks sports with the hosts. It's not all about winning, right? Coaches have the ability to pour into the lives of our youth to help them make the right choices in life. That opportunity should not be taken for granted.
PAST PODCAST TOPICS
Friday, Oct. 7, 2022 - EPISODE 1
- Topic - Four Corners in Every Direction. The goal of Operation Echo Stop is to STOP the TRIGGER from ever getting pulled. Hosts talk strategy on employing the technology and the people to reduce gun violence.
Friday, Oct. 14, 2022 - EPISODE 2
- Topic - Next Generation Chaos to Calm. This day and age live a generation of youth that is a wonder of peculiarity – from their influences and by the things that motivate them. Special guest City of Mobile Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator Joshua Jones talks about his journey to reach them where they are.
Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 - EPISODE 3
- Topic - Imagine a Safer City. Special guest City of Mobile Public Safety Director Lawrence Battiste lays out the reality of the matter on what every community member can do in the charge for a safer community.
Friday, Oct. 28, 2022 - EPISODE 4
- Topic - Mind on Mental Health Triumphs. Pushing the city forward to understanding trauma in the form of it is not what’s wrong with you but it is what’s happened to you. Special guest Dr. Cindy Gipson, Associate Director of AltaPointe Crisis Services, explains the approach community members should take when encountering someone dealing with a mental health crisis.
FRIDAY, NOV. 4, 2022 - EPISODE 5
- Topic – When Enough is Enough. The end of the month ShotsSpotter data is announced. Hosts explain the numbers but talk about the emotional toll when violence hits close to home and how it affects loved ones. The police department has an array of crime fighting capabilities, but community involvement remains a key solution.
FRIDAY, NOV. 11, 2022 - EPISODE 6
- Topic – Restoring Hope: A Safer Community. Violence seems like it will never stop but don’t give up hope. More than ever, we need each other for encouragement to become a strong community that fights crime together. Special guest Dr. Brian Jenkins of Coastal Church gives a message to uplift the city.
FRIDAY, NOV. 18, 2022 - EPISODE 7
- Topic – Social Media: Branding Yourself with Positive Value. Social media is a giant influencer with the power to destroy and hurt or inspire and brighten someone’s day. Hosts talk about the dangers of social media for our young people and how one post can affect their entire future. However, there is long-term value in creating a presence on social media with something positive.
FRIDAY, NOV. 25, 2022 - EPISODE 8
- Topic – In Service, Of Service: A Duty to Serve. Serving others brings forth bountiful blessings. Although we are thankful for our city and what we as Mobilians have accomplished together, hosts reveal how the duty to serve with compassionate heart for others can be extended.
FRIDAY, DEC. 2, 2022 - EPISODE 9
FRIDAY, DEC. 9, 2022 - EPISODE 10
FRIDAY, DEC. 16, 2022 - EPISODE 11
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Topic – Data for Good. Dr. Gerard Tate, the Community Impact & Engagement Director for ShotSpotter, explains why it is necessary to use data to enhance Operation Echo Stop and how data helps drive community engagement. Hosts also discuss the adverse effects of the trauma from gunfire, especially for children.
FRIDAY, DEC. 23, 2022 - EPISODE 12
FRIDAY, DEC. 30, 2022 - EPISODE 13
Friday, jan. 6, 2023 - EPISODE 14
- Topic - State of the Podcast. The great improvements from citizen involvement is shared. And, because it shook the start of the new year, hosts talk about the New Year's Eve shooting.
Friday, JAN. 13, 2023 - EPISODE 15
- Topic - A City Supported. Hosts talk with Brandon Sanders, the executive director and lead pastor at Wings of Life, about the mission of the program and the latest changes to help people recover from addiction and other destructive lifestyles.
Friday, JAN. 20, 2023 - EPISODE 16
- Topic - Voices of the Community Series. Every voice and zip code matters. That should never be forgotten. Hosts introduce a new series that will bring guests from the community including the school and healthcare system.
Friday, JAN. 27, 2023 - EPISODE 17
- Topic - Voices of the Community. Our Schools. Who better knows school safety than Andy Gatewood? He is Mobile County Public School System's director of safety and security. Each day, Gatewood and his team ensures that all students can learn in a safe environment.
MOBILE POLICE DEPARTMENT