What Are You Planning on Doing to Address Violence in Schenectady?

Hundley’s Approach to Violence Prevention

Every resident deserves to feel safe. Every child should be able to play outside without fear. Every senior should feel comfortable walking through their neighborhood.

Public safety is one of the most important responsibilities of city government. However, lasting safety cannot come from enforcement alone.

Violence is not just a policing issue. It is also a housing issue, an economic issue, a mental health issue, and a youth opportunity issue. If we want safer neighborhoods, we must address the conditions that make violence more likely, while also ensuring that people who commit violent crimes are held accountable.

As mayor, my approach will focus on three priorities: prevention, accountability, and community partnership.

That means investing in young people before they become victims or offenders, creating more economic opportunity, expanding access to mental health and addiction services, improving neighborhoods, strengthening relationships between residents and law enforcement, and ensuring that violent crime is met with swift and consistent accountability.

A safer Schenectady is not built by reacting after violence happens. It is built by preventing violence whenever possible, supporting our communities, and protecting every resident.

Invest in Young People

The best way to reduce violence is to prevent it before it starts.

That means making real investments in young people, long before they become victims or offenders. Every child and teenager should have access to year-round jobs, youth sports, arts programs, apprenticeships, mentorship opportunities, tutoring, career training, and safe places to spend time after school and in the evenings.

Too many young people grow up surrounded by limited opportunities. When there are few jobs, few activities, and few positive role models, it becomes much easier for violence, gangs, and crime to fill that void. We cannot expect better outcomes if we are unwilling to invest in better opportunities.

As mayor, I will work to expand partnerships with local businesses, schools, trade unions, artists, nonprofits, and community organizations, so more young people can earn a paycheck, learn a skill, discover a passion, and build meaningful relationships with adults who want to see them succeed.

Prevention is not just about keeping young people busy. It is about giving them hope, purpose, and a reason to believe their future is worth protecting.

Every dollar we invest in opportunity today can help prevent violence tomorrow, strengthen families, and build a safer Schenectady for everyone.

Strengthen Community Trust

Public safety depends on trust. Without trust, even the best policies become harder to implement, and communities become less willing to work together.

As mayor, I will work to strengthen relationships between residents and law enforcement through neighborhood policing, greater transparency, consistent communication, and regular community engagement. Officers should know the neighborhoods they serve, and residents should know the people who are responsible for keeping them safe.

Trust is built through accountability, professionalism, and respect. It grows when residents feel heard, when concerns are taken seriously, and when city government is open about its decisions and actions.

When people trust their local government, they are more likely to report crimes, cooperate with investigations, serve as witnesses, and work alongside their neighbors to prevent violence before it happens. Strong relationships also make it easier to identify problems early, resolve conflicts, and connect people with the support they need.

Building safer neighborhoods is a shared responsibility. Law enforcement, community organizations, local businesses, schools, faith leaders, and residents all have a role to play. By working together, we can create a city where people feel safe, respected, and confident that their government is working in partnership with them.

Expand Mental Health and Violence Prevention

Many violent situations can be prevented with the right intervention. Too often, people do not receive the help they need until after a crisis has already occurred. By then, families have been harmed, neighborhoods have been affected, and the cost, both human and financial, is much greater.

As mayor, I will support expanding access to mental health services, addiction treatment, crisis response, and violence interruption programs that identify and assist people who are most at risk before conflicts escalate. These programs work by connecting individuals with counseling, case management, employment opportunities, housing resources, education, and other support that addresses the root causes of violence.

Mental illness and addiction should be treated as public health challenges, while violent criminal behavior must still be met with accountability. We can protect public safety while also ensuring that people have access to the care and support they need to change the direction of their lives.

Prevention is always more effective than reaction. By investing in early intervention, we can reduce violence, strengthen families, lower long-term costs, and create safer neighborhoods where more people have the opportunity to succeed.

Improve Our Neighborhoods

The condition of a neighborhood plays a major role in public safety. Vacant buildings, blighted properties, poor lighting, abandoned lots, and neglected public spaces can contribute to crime, discourage investment, and make residents feel unsafe, even when crime rates are low.

As mayor, I will prioritize neighborhood improvements that make every block cleaner, brighter, safer, and more welcoming for the people who live there. That means repairing broken streetlights, addressing vacant and abandoned properties, improving sidewalks and parks, removing graffiti and illegal dumping, and ensuring public spaces are maintained with pride.

We will also work to return neglected properties to productive use by supporting rehabilitation, encouraging responsible homeownership, and training the next generation of skilled tradespeople to help restore homes and strengthen neighborhoods. Revitalization should benefit the people who already live here, not just outside investors.

Safe neighborhoods are built through consistent investment, not neglect. When streets are well maintained, public spaces are active, and residents feel proud of where they live, communities become stronger, businesses are more likely to invest, and crime has fewer places to take hold.

A Safer Schenectady for Everyone

My goal is simple. Every child should be able to play outside safely. Every senior should feel comfortable walking through their neighborhood. Every resident should know that their city is working to prevent violence, not just respond after it happens.

Building a safer Schenectady requires more than reacting after tragedy strikes. It requires investing in people, strengthening neighborhoods, expanding opportunity, and building trust between residents, community organizations, and law enforcement. It means addressing the root causes of violence while ensuring that those who commit violent crimes are held accountable.

A safer city is one where young people have opportunities, families have stable housing, neighborhoods are well maintained, and residents feel connected to one another. It is a city where prevention is valued just as much as enforcement, and where every person has the chance to succeed.

Public safety is not measured only by crime statistics. It is measured by whether parents feel comfortable letting their children play outside, whether seniors can walk to the store without fear, whether local businesses can thrive, and whether every resident feels a sense of security and belonging.

That is the Schenectady I will work every day to build: a city that is safer, stronger, more united, and committed to giving every resident the opportunity to thrive.