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Orlando to expand gun violence prevention program
The City of Orlando is expanding its efforts to tackle gun violence. City leaders voted Monday to put more money towards its Community Violence Intervention program.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The City of Orlando is expanding its efforts to tackle gun violence. City leaders voted Monday to put more money towards its Community Violence Intervention program.
Monday's vote will double the size of its staffing for the program and allow members to target at least three additional communities.
"This is the community saying, 'Okay. Enough is enough," said Raysean Brown, Strategy Manager for the Community Violence Intervention Program.
Brown grew up in the Parramore community - one of the targeted communities - and now coordinates what's called Neighborhood Change Associates (NCA) for the anti-gun violence initiative.
The role NCAs is to check on close to 50 young men in some of the more challenging neighborhoods in Orlando. They ensure they're staying out of trouble and taking care of themselves.
"Targeted interventions, therapy, mentors, stable housing," said Brown.
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The additional 1.5 million in federal funding will expand outreach from Carver Shores, Parramore, Holden Heights, Mercy Drive, and the Rosemont area, including Richmond Heights, Lake Mann, and Signal Hill.
"Those three communities had an uptick in violence, and we wanted to make sure we provided services over there," said Abe Morris, Children Youth and Family Division Manager.
City leaders say it's money well spent because, so far, the program is working.
Data from its first year showed placing people in the original five communities:
- Reduced Gun Injuries by 36%
- Reduced Homicides by 20%
- Organizers estimate close to 60 lives were saved, and over 240 potentially violent conflicts were resolved.
"Ten of them were reciprocal or retaliatory gun violence where guns were present. Through those Neighborhood Change Associates, they were able to de-escalate the situation, which led to no shots being fired and no injuries," said Morris.
Gun violence is costly. Not only is it claiming lives, but every shooting costs the city hundreds of thousands in response.
The organization estimates that its first year of curbing violence has saved taxpayers over $8 million.
The work is done in conjunction with the police department and other community organizations. But, leaders say what's made this effective is putting mentors in the community who are from the area and are respected.
"They're able to, in a split second, make these people say, you know what – this isn't right," said Brown.
Organizers say summer is often a difficult time for gun violence, and they usually see spikes in crime.
The good news is they say these community leaders will be in place before then.