ELIZABETH CITY, Nc. — Elizabeth City police are launching a "Peace in the City" initiative, partnering with local churches to host community prayer walks aimed at reducing youth violence.
The Elizabeth City Police Department is partnering with local churches to host two community prayer walks, bringing residents, officers, and faith leaders together to pray for peace, protection, and an end to violence.
The two walks will be Saturday August first at 6 p.m. beginning at Grace and Truth Community Church and ending at Holy Trinity. The second prayer walk will be Saturday September fifth 6:00 p.m., at Forerunner Church and finishing at Victory Praise and Worship.
The City prayer gathering will be Saturday, October the 24th at 3:00 p.m. at Waterfront Park.
"Your life matters, you are valuable and your future is worth protecting," Abel Sutton, pastor of Faithway Church of Jesus, said.
Chief Eddie Graham says the effort was not created in response to any one incident. Instead, he says it is a way to show young people they have a community that cares about their future and is ready to support them.
"The local ministries here in this city has an impact on our youth and it's so many ministers they see on a regular basis, so we want them to know that we're going to join together and work together to make sure this city is safe," Graham said.
Bonzai Caison commends Chief Graham, as she worked at the department for a decade as the coordinator chaplaincy. As the senior pastor at New Calvary Missionary Baptist Church in Elizabeth City, Caison says getting young people involved will be the hardest part of the initiative.
"My believe is that once a street has claimed them, it's hard to get them away from those people that influence them," Caison said.
"The youth don't feel like they are elderly people older people to guide them in the right direction, they have no motivation," Caison said.
Along with the 2 prayer walks, police are also hosting a citywide prayer gathering and community event in October, all aimed at bringing people together and helping create positive change across the city.
"We are walking from church to church because no single congregation, organization, or neighborhood or law enforcement agency can solve this crisis alone," Sutton said.
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