ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester Mayor-Elect Malik Evans will take over the top office at city hall in just a few weeks. He says there is a lot of work going on already before he gets there.

Violence in Rochester is the number one issue he's focused on. Evans says he's willing to look at the data to determine whether the state's bail reform law is contributing to the record-breaking violence in the city. Local law enforcement has repeatedly pointed to bail reform as a major factor in the increase in violence.

Evans pointed out that looking at the data from other New York cities is important and says reports show some cities have seen decreases in homicides. But he recognizes that there are violent offenders who have been released to walk the streets. According to the mayor-elect, there is a small percentage of violent residents that law enforcement is aware of and they need to zero in on. 

Evans says he has long-term goals to end violence like socio-economic reform, but first, he wants to stop the bleeding.

"We can do the long-term stuff, but we're also going to focus on the individuals who are wreaking havoc on the community and make sure we tell them you have a choice,  said Evans. "Your choice is that you reform your ways or you get a time out. What's it going to be? Period."

Evans says on the day before Thanksgiving next week, Wednesday, November 24 at noon, he would like there to be a moment of silence across the city in honor of the 75 lives lost to violence this year.