‘Enough of the killings.’ New Durham mayor vows to make city safe as she takes office

On the night that Elaine O’Neal officially became Durham’s first Black woman mayor, “no one will be left behind,” she said.

“We all envision a Durham that listens to and cares for every citizen, and we will leave no one behind,” O’Neal said Monday night as she took her oath of office.

At least 100 Durham city staff members and residents filled the council chambers as O’Neal was sworn in alongside City Council members DeDreana Freeman, who was re-elected to Ward I; Mark-Anthony Middleton, re-elected to Ward 2; and Leonardo Williams, newly elected to Ward 3.

“We must make every neighborhood safe,” said O’Neal, a former judge and interim dean of the N.C. Central University Law School. “Parents should not have to worry about their children playing at the neighborhood park. Our elderly residents should not have to live in fear of bullets coming through their home.”

O’Neal replaces Steve Schewel, who exits the political stage after more than 40 years. He leaves behind a successful affordable housing bond to help address the city’s rise in gentrification.

But as he steps down, gun violence has taken a record number of lives this year in Durham.

“Our students must be able to go to school and learn in a safe environment,” O’Neal said. “Enough of the guns. Enough of the shootings. Enough of the killings.”

New approach to address violence

All of the new and re-elected council members are partnering with other city leaders and social justice advocates to establish a new sustainable justice movement over the next three to five years under the Hayti Reborn organization.

Former Durham Police Chief Steve Chalmers, who will serve as executive director, has developed a new system to address the spike in gun violence.

This program will track Durham youth and young adults and begin offering mentoring, therapy and after-school programming. The movement also aims to expunge the records of previous offenders and set them up with jobs with a starting pay of $15 per hour.

O’Neal and others are setting up groups to help recruit the youth for the new initiative through Durham’s Partners Against Crime program.

Members include Chief District Court Judge Pat Evans, N.C. Central University professor Henry McKoy and Mayme Webb-Bledsoe, of the Pauli Murray Center on the West End.

On Saturday, during a meeting of the group, O’Neal collected information from residents who can volunteer a few hours a week. She proposed establishing an 800 number for children who need help, with the goal of responding within 72 hours.

“I am committing my time for these two years and I am asking you to do the same,” O’Neal said.

Lisa Jones, a former federal correctional administrator, who will oversee the new initiative’s operations, said it will seek funding from the city and county.

“People want one place where they can come for us to assess their needs. We are currently looking at building spaces downtown to house our operations,” Jones said.

This story was originally published December 6, 2021 at 9:44 PM.