City of OKC

Recommendation No. 27:

The City should create an exploratory committee to vet community resources critical to violence intervenor programs.

The City should create an exploratory committee to vet community resources that have resources critical to violence intervenor programs as a core building block of their programming.

Project Status: 40% Implemented

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Project Details from Consultant Report

Combatting violence can be a very contentions place for law enforcement and communities of color. While everyone wants a safe neighborhood, aggressive tactics, allegations of unconstitutional policing, police involved shootings and over-incarceration of people of color breeds distrust. Many crimes, particularly those that include violence, are solved by community members stepping forward with information. This cooperation decreases significantly when procedural justice is not a part of a department’s core principles and shows up in operations. Given that this reciprocal relationship is a critical component to all law enforcement activities, many cities have turned to a model that acknowledges these realities. Many cities use models of “trusted” community members to engage and deescalate tensions to decrease violence. These programs are called violence interrupter programs. Where by community members, usually formerly criminally-involved, work to proactively stop violence before it happens by using their credibility in the community.

Street outreach is an important component of violence – especially gang-based violence – strategies, but defining the approach and the community capacity is critical. Successful violence interruption programs do not always use the same combination of approaches and outreach activities, mentorship approaches, or case management approaches have had different efficacy in different jurisdictions. However, it is clear that best outcomes are achieved when the police, the community, and other resources work collaboratively in a combination of engagement, opportunities for Youth, and enforcement priorities. As such, jurisdictions looking to establish violence interruption programs should focus on answering foundational questions:

• What is the specific purpose and the target audience of the outreach program? Reduce Gang and/or Street Violence? Reduce gang membership? Connect at-risk youth to positive opportunities?
• How will outreach be conducted? Long-term relationship building and linking youth to prosocial services and activities? Conflict mediation and high-risk situations?
• How is the program staffed?
• What methods are used to recruit, hire, train, and retain staff? Official and “neighborhood” background checks; drug testing; tolerance of misbehavior or recidivism on part of staff; hiring panels; willingness to work with law enforcement; workers safety; fair wage and benefits; apprenticeships and volunteering; management and supervision; training; passion and long-term commitment.
• Which type of agency or organization should host a street outreach program? Nonprofit, community, and grassroots organizations; city and county agencies; central agency, with workers located in CBOs in particular neighborhoods; faith-based organizations.
• Which partnerships are essential, and how can they be developed and maintained? Police Departments; probation, parole, and correctional facilities; schools; hospitals; community-based organizations/service agencies; faith-based organizations; business community.
• What data will be collected and how will it be used and evaluated?
• How will funding be secured?

Similar to our recommendations around community-based Alternatives to Mental Health calls, it is necessary to assess what resources exist and what community- based capacity there is to interrupt violence. The committee might consist of government representatives, including executive level and health and human services, two community-based organizations run by or assisting formerly incarcerated citizens, two service providers that serve communities with high levels of violence, representative of a hospital that cares for gunshot victims. The group should help determine the scope and purpose of any program, how long the program will be in effect, whether the program will directly engage in mediations, staffing requirements and qualifications, and what community-based resources exist to support this effort.