President Joe Biden unveiled plans on Wednesday to reduce violent crime nationwide. This comes as communities around New Jersey are doing their part to reduce gun violence and improve community policing.

Jersey City held its Rock the Block program Wednesday evening. The event was solely about community policing, an effort the president mentioned as being one that saves lives in the long run.

Rock the Block gives Jersey City police officers a chance to connect with the city’s youngest residents. On the surface, it looks fun. Kids play basketball or other games with police officers. But what the event is really about is to form relationships between police and the community.

“We don’t want the kids to be afraid of the cops. So if they see a friendly face, they’ll remember that face. And when they can remember that face, they can keep them safe,” says Jersey City Police Director Tawana Moody.

A good relationship between police and the community is important to Mayor Steven Fulop.

“In some cities, it’s a very fragile relationship. So we want to make sure in Jersey City, it’s a strong bond,” he says.

Cities around New Jersey, including Atlantic City, Newark, Paterson and Trenton, have seen an uptick in shootings and crime over the last year. Nationwide there was a 33% increase in homicides.

This is why Biden has laid out a crime prevention plan that mainly targets gun crimes.

“My message to you is this – we will seek your license to sell guns,” the president said.

Biden was referring to an order he signed which would have the ATF track down more aggressively gun dealers who break laws. They will have their licenses taken away if they sell a firearm to a prohibited person, fail to run a background check or falsify records.

The president also said that he wants more community policing like the event that took place in Jersey City. He said that the community outreach can help stop any surge of violence.

Biden also announced the formation of a strike force designed to stop the flow of weapons across state lines.