Commission to Address Gun Violence

Committed to Addressing Gun Violence in Oakland County and Beyond

Prosecutor McDonald is committed to combating gun violence in Oakland County and beyond.

Prosecutor McDonald formed the Commission to Address Gun Violence in September 2022 after Oakland County experienced an increase in gun violence and death, including the shooting at Oxford High School. Information on how to prevent gun violence and mass shootings is extensive, however, a comprehensive approach that truly works to prevent such violence has yet to be implemented.

The Commission has been asked to develop a data-driven approach to combating gun violence in Oakland County and beyond. Composed of key community stakeholders, experts, and individuals who have been impacted by gun violence, the Commission will scrutinize the threat assessment model in Oakland County, analyze and provide recommendations on both hard and soft components of gun violence, and work to develop a model for training kids and adults to recognize individuals in crisis and ways to take meaningful action to prevent violence.

To volunteer or support this work, please contact prosecutor@oakgov.com.

Create a holistic, comprehensive, evidence-based model that the Commission can offer as a protocol to local school districts, places of employment, municipalities, and community members to reduce gun violence.

Susan Benson - Director of Specialized Student Support Oakland Schools
Charlie Cavell - District 18 Commissioner, Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Debra Rivera Ehrmann - Vice President Centro Multicultural La Familia
Lt. Jim Etzin - Fire Department and Emergency Medical Services Coordinator Oakland County Tactical Training Consortium
Betsey Hage - Chief of Administration, Oakland County Prosecutor's Office
Thom Hardesty - Director of Emergency Management and Homeland Security Oakland County
Nicole Hockley - Co-Founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise
Lt. Timothy Ketvirtis - Second District North Coordinator, Michigan State Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security Division
Dr. Alyse Ley - Associate Professor and Associate Chair, Department of Psychiatry at Michigan State University
Pastor Derrick McDonald - Prospect Missionary Baptist Church
Robert VanWert - Special Prosecutor, Oakland County Prosecutor's Office
Heather Murphy - School Safety Specialist, National Center for School Safety, Prevention Research Center at the University of Michigan
Buck Myre - 42 Strong President
Dr. Peggy Nowak - Neurosurgery and Otolaryngology, Beaumont Hospital
Dr. Vasilis Pozios - Chief Medical Officer, Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN)
Dr. Melissa Reeves - Nationally Certified School Psychologist and Past-President of the National Association of School Psychologists
Kimberly Root - Section Manager, Office of School Safety Michigan State Police
Pastor Kevin Sanders - Associate Pastor and Behavior Specialist for Pontiac Public Schools
Dr. Makenzie Schiemann - President of the National Association for Behavioral Intervention and Threat Assessment
Mary Schusterbauer - Retired Chief of Oakland County Youth Assistance
Deleah Sharp - Founder of Identify Your Dream
Gary Sikorski - Director of Community-Wide Security, Jewish Community Security, on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit
Michael Spisz - District 3 Commissioner, Oakland County Board of Commissioners
Dr. Frank Straub - Director of the National Policing Institute's Center for Targeted Violence Prevention
Tom Teves - Father of Alex Teves who was murdered in the Aurora theater shooting and Co-Founder of No Notoriety
Markeisha Washington - Chief of Family Support, Oakland County Prosecutor's Office
Det. Lt. Tim Willis - Special Investigations Unit, Oakland County Sheriff's Office
Dr. Marc Zimmerman - Marshall H. Becker Collegiate Professor and Director of the Prevention Research Center of Michigan at the University of Michigan

Preventions - Physical and Psychological

Focus on evaluating and making recommendations regarding existing and potential measures geared toward people skills, such as communication and socio-emotional awareness, along with measures related to making our physical spaces safe and secure.

Anonymous Reporting Systems

Evaluate and make recommendations based on recent research collection to strengthen Michigan's OK2SAY anonymous reporting system.

Bystander and Community Violence Interrupters

Review Community Violence Interrupter initiatives along with the impact such programs have in communities based on relevant data and research and discuss what factors contribute to a successful program. Make recommendations on methods/strategies to empower people to identify when someone is in crisis and when to speak up in their community.

Threat Assessment Models and Aftercare

Evaluate current threat assessment models and make recommendations as to what components are necessary for them to be effective. Make recommendations as to the appropriate services and resources for those identified as being a threat and in crisis.

Tactical Response to Active Violence

Systematically review and evaluate an active shooter scenario for purposes of determining, in relation to response, what went well and what did not.

Trauma Response and Recovery

Evaluate what intervention methods are being taken when a person is in crisis and what measures/resources are in place for their long-term success. Address the resiliency of those individuals who have lost someone to gun violence and what steps can be taken to end the cycle of violence.

Gun Violence and Health Inequity

Review and discuss relevant data regarding the correlation between gun violence and health inequities in underrepresented communities. Identify inequities and make recommendations on how to make small attainable changes that can have long-lasting and meaningful results.