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Tuesday night, Rev. Adren Bivins, Sr. of the nonprofit The Laymen Brotherhood approached the City Council, requesting help with the rampant drug and violence problem in Bainbridge.

Bivins first commended the Decatur County Sheriff’s Department and Bainbridge Public Safety for doing a commendable job, but said even with their crackdown drugs are still on the corner of every street.

“On every corner you can see the drugs, young men with their pants down and cussing every other word,” Bivins said.

Bivins said he often preaches in the streets and gives out Bibles and belts, telling young men to pull up their pants and turn to God.

“I’m trying to make Decatur County a safe place to live,” he told the Council.

Bivins then described the deadly happenings that have happened to three young men in the Laymen Brotherhood due to drug and gang violence.

“One of the men I just talked to a few weeks ago and he recently overdosed on drugs,” Bivins lamented.

He next described a special bond he had with a man, Justin Harris.

“I was there when he signed his football scholarship to Albany State University,” Bivins said. “He then went to Afghanistan and when he returned home to Bainbridge he got shot at Rivers Apartments.”

Bivins became tearful as he described how Harris was like a son to him. He went on to describe how another young man, who often stayed with he and his wife was then shot two weeks later.

“These young men were like family to me and they were both shot two weeks apart; we need to do something to stop this crime… we need a task force or something,” Bivins said.

Bivins said a lot of these young men who have turned to drugs don’t have fatherly figures and just need a helping hand, and he believes that is his mission, but he can’t do it alone.

“I just wish we could do something in Bainbridge to curve this crime,” Bivins said. “These young men are out of control.”

To help get the word out, Bivins and his nonprofit are hosting a Youth Rally “Say No to Drugs, Violence and Gangs” this Saturday at the Joe L. Sweet, Jr. Community Center from 3-7 p.m.

Bivins said they will be giving away free food and free clothes, Bibles and belts to anyone present.

They are additionally welcoming all youth choirs, praise dancers, speakers and the community to out and support the event.

Mayor Edward Reynolds thanked Bivins for the hard work he has put into the community over the years and told him the City would look into ways they could help the youth.

“I agree that the Community needs to leave behind an improvement in some of those areas, so I will look into what other communities are doing for this issue,” Reynolds assured him.

Bivins thanked the Council and invited them all to the rally on Saturday.