ST. LOUIS — State and city leaders have been working to find ways to cut back on violence in the St. Louis area.
Gov. Mike Parson has held several meetings with St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson in recent months over that very topic. And on Saturday, he toured several neighborhood church grill-outs.
It's called Grill to Glory. Launched by Better Family Life, the recurring event partners with 74 churches, hosting cookouts to help neighborhoods that tend to be in higher-crime areas.
"The majority of the time, people just want someone to talk to," said Bernard Anderson, who helps run the event outside Jerusalem Missionary Baptist Church.
They serve food and have clothes available to those who may need them. Anderson said they also help people find jobs and become more active with the church.
Gov. Parson attended six of these events on Saturday.
"I wanted to see first hand what is going on in the neighborhood," he said.
Anderson said he'd like to see more resources given to organizations in the communities struggling with violence. Gov. Parson said ways the state can help are already on his mind.
"I want to make sure it's these communities who are really getting to and what organizations do we take that money and resources through," he said.
He said by attending these events, it gives him a better idea of what is needed.
It was a month ago that the Missouri State Highway Patrol started monitoring St. Louis interstates, as they're looking to catch violent criminals and fugitives who may be using the highways. It's a way that allows St. Louis police to focus elsewhere on violent crime.
Parson said that while they're still doing an analysis of the impact, the early results have been positive.
OTHER LOCAL NEWS: