Community weighs in on proposed Evansville 360 violence-prevention initiative

ECHO Housing & Community Development hosted a town hall meeting on Thursday to gather community feedback on a new approach to reduce violence through “Evansville 360.”

The program 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.

Savanah Wicker, executive director of ECHO Housing & Community Development, said the initiative will go through three phases before full implementation. She said phase one runs through December; phase two runs from January through March 2027, and they plan to complete phase three by summer or early fall 2027. 

Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry said they will start in the Glenwood community. 

“We want to make sure that people walk away here with what they can do as an individual, what their organizations can do, what churches can do to be a partner with local law enforcement and the city addressing violent crimes.”

While the meeting brought attention to Evansville 360, it also gave the public a chance to weigh in on community challenges related to violent crime—something Evansville 360 aims to tackle. 

The overarching theme: the challenges younger people face and how they contribute to crime in the area. 

Community members raised potential contributing factors such as a lack of places for teens to go and things to do, limited economic opportunities, parent involvement, unresolved trauma, and limited access to alternate paths toward success. 

Residents said they want structured activities outside of school hours, a new form of counseling for young people who have experienced violence, consistent relationships with trusted adults, and turning ideas into action. 

According to the 2025 Evansville Police Department annual statistics report, there has been a 43.5% decrease in shooting victims and a 60% decrease in murders. However, the report shows a 47% increase in guns seized. This year, there have been 4 murders, 30 shootings, and 427 reports of shots fired in Evansville. 

Evansville Police Department Chief Philip Smith said he’s optimistic about Evansville 360, saying, “I don’t have a negative opinion; I’m just hoping for the best.”

Smith also commented on the decrease in crime and public safety. 

“Where the data may show you a completely different picture, perception is reality,” Smith said. “If people don’t feel safe, then they don’t feel safe. So, we need to still come together and not just say ‘Well, the data says this’. We need to actually come out put effort in because were not done yet.”