DANVILLE, Va. – Danville Mayor Alonzo Jones has made the eradication of bullying one of his main targets in office.
"There are people here who are tired and sick, sick and tired of bullying," Jones said. "We do not want good people getting in trouble by retaliating against these bullies."
Jones made a plea for the city to come together and stop bullying during a Danville City Council meeting last week. He says this is an issue that affects adults as well as children and could lead to people committing serious crimes.
"I'm afraid that good people, because they're tired of it, will take the law into their own hands," Jones said. "I've heard it for several months now, and that's what we do not want people to do."
Jones says the Danville Police Department is developing an app for people to anonymously submit any reports of bullying directly to law enforcement. He says more constituents have called him about bullying than nearly any other issue so far and any step to stop bullying will be a good step.
"Whether bullying is in the school system or whether it's on social media, you don't have to take it into your own hands," Jones said. "Some say we will not be able to eradicate bullying. I beg to differ."