As the curators for the business blog, Takes From Silicon Valley East, we would like to depart from our usual focus on industry sectors, real estate activity, and metropolitan policy to hone in on an issue we all must consider, the impact of gun violence. It is personally important to each of us because the mounting losses are incomprehensible and damaging to our community fabric. It is also important to us as economic development professionals as we seek to grow our cities in healthy and productive ways. Fremont’s police chief has weighed in on the issue, outlining common sense solutions to tackling the problem. We are sharing his opinion, published today in the San Jose Mercury News, to inspire a broader public dialogue, and shared responsibility in reversing this troubling trend.

Photo: The U.S. Capitol Dome under restoration – January 2016.