New Leadership in a Time of Crisis
Governor Matt Meyer’s recent executive order isn’t just a bureaucratic shuffle — it marks a turning point in Delaware’s fight against gun violence. Across the nation, headlines of shootings, shattered communities, and rising youth fatalities have become tragically routine. In 2022, Delaware lost 124 residents to gun violence, and for the first time, firearms overtook car accidents as the leading cause of death for children and teens in the state. The cost isn’t just emotional; it’s a massive economic drain. A study cited by the Coalition for a Safer Delaware estimates a $1.3 billion annual toll—over $1,200 for every state resident—driven by medical bills, lost productivity, and increased policing.
That makes Delaware’s move to establish the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and Community Safety all the more urgent. Operating under the Department of Safety and Homeland Security, this new state-level office aims to bridge the gaps left by evaporating federal support and mounting local consequences. “Ultimately what we’re hoping is that the number of shootings across our state is reduced,” Governor Meyer explained during Thursday’s signing, underlining the ultimate measure of success: saved lives.
Yet, this progressive step was born out of necessity, not luxury. Just as federal policymakers slashed $1 billion from school mental health grants nationwide—a move putting 14,000 mental health workers, psychologists, and counselors at risk, including 36 in Delaware—the First State stood at a crossroads. Without the promise of federal lifeboats, states like Delaware have been forced to chart their own course.
Filling the Void: Community-Driven Solutions
The new office isn’t meant to reinvent the wheel but to steer it with deliberate, data-driven direction. Its first year will focus on an ambitious assessment: examining Delaware’s patchwork of existing programs, identifying where resources fall short, and drafting a pragmatic roadmap to plug the gaps. Experts such as Harvard public health researcher David Hemenway note that states making comprehensive, evidence-based investments into gun violence prevention see measurable reductions in injuries and deaths—and Delaware shows every intention of following suit.
Rep. Mara Gorman, Secretary Josh Bushweller, and bipartisan allies understand this project needs buy-in beyond party lines. Beyond politics, the faces most harmed by gun violence are often the most overlooked: Black men aged 15–34, making up just 6% of the state’s population but accounting for nearly half of the gun deaths. These aren’t mere statistics—they’re urgent calls for justice, inclusion, and community partnership.
Effective response must go well beyond policing. That’s why the new office will offer a centralized, accessible resource for community groups, survivors, and experts. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, collaboration between state agencies, public health leaders, and community advocates is what truly moves the needle. The Office’s mission statement echoes this: close service gaps, foster cross-agency strategies, and promote real community engagement.
“We can’t bring these kids back, but we can fight for a future where children in Wilmington, Dover, or Laurel feel safe walking to school. It will take all of us: public health, faith leaders, survivors, and local lawmakers at the same table.” – Janelle Carter, community advocate with End Community Violence Now
Advocates are clear: State government must treat gun violence not just as crime, but as a public health crisis. Delaware’s focus on building partnerships and analyzing local conditions stands in stark contrast to a national climate where gun violence prevention offices have been dismantled or left underfunded due to shifting political winds.
Progressive Policy: Beyond Politics and Rhetoric
As other states waffle—bowing to pressure from lobbying groups and clinging to outdated narratives about “good guys with guns”—Delaware is opting for strategy over slogans. Governor Meyer’s team has enlisted support from the Coalition for a Safer Delaware, Everytown, and trauma specialists, all signaling a shift toward pragmatic, inclusive policymaking. Every step, from evaluating youth outreach to connecting survivors with trauma counseling, is grounded in evidence and compassion.
Some critics argue that gun violence is a national problem best addressed from Washington—ignoring how inaction and partisanship have left states with blood on their hands and no guidance. The loss of $1 billion in federal funding for school mental health programs hits especially hard when so many gun deaths intersect with untreated childhood trauma, poverty, and systemic inequality. “We need both national resolve and local ingenuity,” says John Roman, senior fellow at the nonpartisan NORC at the University of Chicago. “But with Congress paralyzed by the gun lobby, real solutions begin locally.”
History offers evidence that a focused, coordinated community effort saves lives. In the 1990s, Boston’s Operation Ceasefire—a multi-agency, community-driven approach—cut youth homicides by more than half. Other cities, from Oakland to Newark, have seen similar gains through persistent, grassroots-focused strategies. It’s not a miracle—just the result of bringing data, community, and political will together in ways far too rare in today’s America.
Delaware’s newly minted office isn’t a silver bullet, but it’s an unmistakable shot across the bow of complacency. The office promises to assess progress publicly, remain nimble in response to changing trends, and most crucially, maintain a steady dialogue with everyday citizens—those whose lives are far too often upended by senseless violence. Critics may scoff, but as the state’s grim statistics prove, the cost of inaction is measured in both lives and livelihoods.
Building Toward Safety and Hope
Delaware is not waiting for a lifeline from Capitol Hill—or for the bloodshed to stop on its own. Instead, the First State is taking bold ownership of a problem that has long been mired in political gridlock. By treating gun violence as a public health emergency, empowering data-driven programs, and embracing inclusive partnerships with those most affected, Governor Meyer’s new office lays down a powerful marker for progressive state leadership nationwide.
If tangible change follows, Delaware may prove what research has long suggested: that when states unite common sense, compassion, and accountability, they can rewrite their own futures.
