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HomeMy WebLinkAboutGVPC RecommendationsGUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION COMMISSION GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION COMMISSION REPORT Violence Prevention Framework Workshop - City Council A p r i l 2 0 2 3 Gather, review, and study the issue of gun violence within the City of Roanoke; Make recommendations to City Council for potential actions that the city may take to reduce the epidemic of gun violence within our community and to make recommendations for enhancing existing resources and campaigns; and, Aid the city in making and developing community partnerships to assist in the reduction of gun violence. Purpose The Gun Violence Prevention Commission was formed as a Permanent Committee through the action of the City Council, as set forth in Ordinance No. 42012-031521, adopted on March 15, 2021. The purpose of the Commission, as defined in the City Code and Bylaws of the organization, is to Further, in this statement conveyed on our monthly meeting agendas, the purpose is to study the issue of gun violence in the community, recommend strategies for prevention, intervention, and response to reduce incidents of gun violence and address its effects on the community, and to work with citizens and community partners in developing programs that create meaningful opportunities for positive non-violent pathways for health and wholeness. The members of the Commission are Dr. Eric Anderson, Rabbi Kathy Cohen, Rev. Tim Harvey, Decca Knight, Elliot Major, Nicole Ross, Stacey Sheppard, Shakira Williams, and Vice Mayor Joe Cobb. History and Timeline In February 2019, following a Public Safety briefing given by Chief of Police Tim Jones, Vice Mayor Joe Cobb met with Mayor Sherman Lea and City Manager Bob Cowell to discuss the rise in homicides and aggravated assaults related to gun violence in the community and the formation of a task force to address gun violence in the community. At the recommendation of the Mayor and Vice Mayor, City Council created a Task Force to Reduce Gun Violence, comprised of twenty citizens and a City Council representative to convene in a series of community meetings to study the issue of gun violence in the community and make recommendations to City Council on strategies for prevention, intervention, and response. During the inaugural meeting in May 2019, members of the Task Force indicated they wanted the City and Council to have a role in leading this effort to ensure effective engagement of the community in long-term efforts. The Task Force met throughout the summer, with multiple community meetings and two public hearings, to prepare recommendations. These recommendations were presented to City Council on Monday, November 4, 2019, and included strategies in five areas: Safer Neighborhoods, Education, Reducing Gang Activity, Violence and Recidivism, Coordinated Rapid Response, and Media and Marketing Campaign. The recommendations were received and approved by Council. To create an action plan for the recommendations, City Council created the Ad Hoc Study Committee on the Reduction of Gun Violence in early 2020, and an initial community stakeholders meeting was held in February 2020 to engage interest and support for the community-based recommendations. 3 When Covid-19 arrived in March 2020, everything shut down, including Study Committee meetings. These were resumed virtually in June 2020, with working groups in each of the five strategic areas building action plans for the recommendations. This action plan was presented to and received by City Council in November 2020. To carry this work forward, City Council formalized these efforts by establishing the Gun Violence Prevention Commission on March 16, 2021, including a general funds budget line item of $75,000 to begin implementation of the plan. The Commission created a Grant Writing Team to research, write, and apply for state and federal funding and submitted applications for a Youth and Gang Violence Community Assessment Grant made possible through funding by the General Assembly and the Gun Violence Intervention Program Grant through the DCJS. In May 2021, the Commission created and announced a process for city-wide mini-grants in gun violence prevention and intervention. These grants were awarded to seventeen local non- profits who submitted proposals for funding of up to $5,000. The Commission received word in June 2021 that both grants applied for in the Spring had been awarded to the City of Roanoke. The Youth and Gang Violence Community Assessment grant ($25,000) was implemented in the Fall of 2021 through a contract with Elite Business Strategies and completed on December 31, 2021. We were the first in the state to complete our local assessment, and it was the first of its kind implemented in Roanoke. The Gun Violence Intervention Program Grant ($500,000) provided funding to hire a Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Coordinator and two Outreach Workers and provide program support for community-based prevention and intervention programs. This team began work in October 2021. During the summer of 2021, as part of one of the mini-grants awarded to TAP (Total Action for Progress), a youth symposium was held to center the voices of young African American men to share their stories and life experiences in Roanoke. This conversation with community leaders led to a gathering of Youth Service Providers later that summer to begin discussing gaps in youth services and activities in the community. Four key areas emerged from these meetings, which continue to be held on a quarterly basis: youth employment, mental health, safe spaces and housing, and youth activities. In September 2021, the Star City Strong Citizen Panel, appointed by City Council, met to prioritize ARPA funding. This Panel recommended $2 million for Violence Interruption efforts in the city. In April 2022, the Commission created a protocol for mini-grant and Violence Interruption grants to non-profit agencies in the city. $500,000 was awarded to twenty-three agencies for two-year violence interruption programs and one-year violence prevention and intervention programs. The City also contracted with Engage Strategies, following an RFP procurement process to develop a comprehensive, multi-year communications and marketing plan to address and reduce gun violence in the community. The plan will soon be presented to City Council. n February 2023, the Commission held a strategic planning retreat, and the recommendations from that retreat are being presented to City Council during the Gun Violence Prevention Framework workshop on April 10, 2023. 4 Income inequality Poverty Underfunded public housing Under-resourced public services Underperforming schools Lack of opportunity and perceptions of hopelessness Easy access to firearms by high-risk people Root Causes From the beginning of our work to address and reduce gun violence, efforts have been focused on addressing the root causes. According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions, the root causes of gun violence nationwide include: Through our local research, we agree with a majority of these root causes, though we differ in believing that we have a strong school system that is working hard to help all of our students excel through equitable educational opportunities. We also believe that a lack of social connectedness, unhealed trauma, lack of social-emotional learning, and a need for trauma training and restorative justice and conflict resolution skills are essential to the reduction of gun violence. Through numerous interviews and meetings with youth in our community over the last two years, the following were identified as important for a reduction of gun violence: Keys to Transformation Sense of Purpose and Identity Empowerment Cultural History and Context Seeing Self as Leader Influence as a Strength in Guiding Peers and Younger Siblings/Children Resources for Empowerment Educational Experiences like AACCI (African American Culture and Contemporary Issues) Arts and Cultural Experiences and Opportunities Safe Spaces to Hang Out and Be Together Counseling Availability Conflict Resolution and Peer Support Employment Opportunities Addressing Transportation Barriers Connection to the Earth – Gardening and Urban Farming 5 Increase access for youth to workforce training opportunities Re-advertise and rebrand training opportunities through social media Create and enhance Youth-based small business ownership and entrepreneurship Develop and host a Youth/Young Adult to Business Forum with youth and young adult vendors present Create ongoing Conversation Circles with youth and young adults on Mental Health Access and Care Grow capacity to increase and sustain Mental Health Providers in the community Determine pathways to better community importance of mental health to and with youth Support Community Partners in advocating for suicide prevention through education and information sharing Focus on ensuring that our homes and community spaces are safe for youth and their families Connecting families and youth with resources to enhance safety Explore the creation of Safe Houses/Housing for youth and families at risk of greater violence (and continued support for existing spaces) Gun Safety Campaign Substantial Risk Protective Orders – increase community education Working with community partners to develop an annual Celebration of our Youth Talent Experience – March 24, 2023 (Talent in the Star featured over 40 youth, 23 acts, and full funding support by Youth Service Providers in the community) Convene, in collaboration with the Gun Violence Prevention Commission, regular roundtable and listening experiences with our youth to center and elevate their voices in creating solutions to violence in our community In addition to these key areas of transformation and empowerment, a newly formed Youth Service Providers Collaborative has been created, providing quarterly meetings for these providers to create, develop and implement priorities and programs based on these areas. Here is a summary of the four key areas of focus that have emerged and the current efforts to address them: Youth Employment: Mental Health: Safe Spaces and Housing: Youth Activities: Current Realities of Gun Violence Incidents in the Community The Roanoke Police Department and their I-Star Crime Analysis Team have provided extraordinary support to the Gun Violence Prevention Commission with monthly reports outlining data related to Aggravated Assaults or Homicides Where the Victim Was Hit by Gunfire, Gunfire Incidents Timetable (24-hour period), Source of Calls for Service-Related Gunfire Incidents, Homicide, Aggravated Assaults and Domestic Aggravated Assaults Victim and Offender Analyses, and Origin of Crime. We are working with RPD to expand socio-economic, educational, and other demographic information that may assist in developing effective and evidence-based best practices in gun violence reduction. 6 Below is Comparison Data related to Gun Violence Incidents from 2020-2023: Add a little bit of body text *The charts and tables above count the number of offenses within an incident, not the number of victims. 7 Bridging the Community Gap (Annual Anti-Violence Event to Raise Awareness, in collaboration with TAP and community partners) Reading programs (the first program was an educational video featuring “The Little Blue Truck” in collaboration with RCPS, and then Reading Programs with Westside Elementary and currently with Lincoln Terrace Elementary School) Crime prevention and violence reduction through environmental design (identifying areas in the city with the highest incidents of gun violence and creating efforts to address blight, inadequate lighting, and safer streets) Creation and implementation of a family educational program focused on social-emotional learning skills development (Family Service of Roanoke Valley created a Curriculum on Social Emotional Learning, and 17 community organizations have received training and are implementing the curricula as part of their after-school programs) Increased parental and family support of the Gun Safety Pledge and Gun Lock Distribution program (in collaboration with RCPS and community partners) Increased collaboration between RPD and community partners on awareness and education regarding gangs Work with Sheriff’s Department and community partners to increase access to programs, education, and counseling for returning citizens Create a 24-hour rapid response team and crisis intervention center with a live and text- based hotline for an immediate response, anonymous tips, and conflict resolution (still in development) Collaborate with local hospitals for hospital-based intervention programs Recommended support for the RESET program grant (received and implemented in 2020/2021) Assist FEDUP and other organizations with attaining 501c3 status (FEDUP has completed this process; we also assisted BoxFit) Hire a communications/marketing partner through competitive RFP to assist Task Force and community partners in developing and implementing a branded public influence campaign to address gun violence in the community (currently working with Engage Strategies and 5 Points Creative) Development of Parenting Videos (pilot video “Normal Development” completed; second video “Punishment vs. Discipline” underway) “Be A Resilience Champion” training provided in collaboration with Roanoke Prevention Alliance for community members Prevention Efforts From the initial recommendations of the Task Force to Reduce Gun Violence, prevention efforts included (and continue to include): Safer Neighborhoods: Education: Reducing Gang Activity, Violence, and Incarceration Recidivism: Coordinated Rapid Response: Communications and Marketing: Additional Prevention Efforts: 8 Development of Parenting Videos (pilot video “Normal Development” completed; second video “Punishment vs. Discipline” underway) “Be A Resilience Champion” training provided in collaboration with Roanoke Prevention Alliance for community members Roanoke Remembers (Community Memorial Events held in 2019 and 2022 in remembrance of individuals who have died from acts of violence) GVPC Presentations to Faith-based Partners (ongoing) Community Garden at EnVision Center – Lansdowne (ongoing) Lincoln Terrace Reading Program (ongoing) Community Presentations on the Impact of Trauma and Intersections with Violence (ongoing) Trauma and Emotional Awareness with Roanoke Redevelopment and Housing Authority and Community Cookout (ongoing) Discussion regarding the development of a Trauma-Response Team (for immediate response to incidents of gun violence in collaboration with RPD, Fire/EMS, and RESET) Soul Box Project (Artist in Residence Jane McCadden) Watershed Project: A Review of the Connection between gun violence incidents in watershed areas and a lack of tree canopy (Artist in Residence Jane McCadden) Dreaming Big Initiative (Artist in Residence Simone Patterson, EnVision Center) Completion of first Youth and Gang Violence Community Assessment in 2021; second once scheduled for Fall of 2023 Community Engagement: Identify and connect community resources to the citizens. Develop partnerships to mitigate barriers to resources and build community influencers. Prevention Services Implemented: Improve families, age-appropriate school programs, positive peer relationship building, and one-on-one case management. Intervention Services Implemented: Violence Interrupters, establishing community influencers and block captains,m Intensive Like Skill coaches, Community workshops, seminars, and groups. Enrichment Activities: Age-appropriate activities to include art, music, sports programs, and healthy eating workshops. Additional Prevention Efforts: Intervention Efforts The creation of the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention or “Street Prevention and Intervention Team” under the leadership of Chris Roberts intervenes with youth and their families who are disproportionately affected by gun violence and work to redirect their lives by providing essential resources for health and wholeness. Key program areas include: YOUTH AND GANG VIOLENCE PREVENTION UNIT The Youth and Gang Violence Unit's charge is to build healthy communities by engaging with the community, providing prevention and intervention services, and creating, developing, and implementing enrichment activities. 9 Worked with Better Agreements to pilot a community conflict resolution program in the fall of 2022. The first cohort had five graduates. We will continue to explore ways to strengthen a similar program in the future. Trauma Basics Training for community residents and families (two held in 2021, new sessions being planned for roll out in 2023) Access to Trauma Counseling and Mental Health Support in collaboration with community partners - Family Service of Roanoke Valley received a $150,000 U.S. Department of Justice $150,000 grant to place a Mental Health provider at the EnVision Center for families to access counseling over the next two years $100,000 awarded to ten non-profit and faith-based organizations for gun violence prevention and intervention programs (2022). This will be replicated in 2023 and 2024. $400,000 awarded to thirteen non-profit and faith-based organizations for Violence Interruption programs through 2024. One of these efforts included Groceries Not Guns, a successful gun buyback program now being duplicated by localities across Virginia and the nation. Operation Neighborhood Pinpoint - Using a public health approach, community partners will work with the Roanoke Police Department to identify locations throughout our city that have become hotspots for gun violence and criminal activity. Using data, we will collaborate in a community-based effort, with a team of neighborhood leaders and residents to form Operation Pinpoint Teams to create intervention and prevention-based, immediate response actions to both address and reduce the gun violence in the identified area. This approach will provide more direct intervention through increased opportunities, social services and quality of life services for individuals and families at risk and the ability through community engagement to increase long-term resiliency. The initial area of focus is Hanover Ave in NW Roanoke. Agency Leads: United Way of Roanoke Valley and Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Coordinator The team provides daily community outreach with youth and families to address and break the cycle of gang and gun violence, leads Community Healing Circles, and developed the Empathy Project to bring healing to families directly affected by the loss of loved ones to gun violence. In addition to the work of this team, the Commission has implemented the following Intervention programs: 10 RESET (Rapid Engagement of Support in the Event of Trauma) Team Outreach (Lloyd Merchant, Coordinator + team of community volunteers) who have responded with 40 community visits to homes and neighborhoods impacted by gun violence and accompanying trauma (ongoing) Coordinated rapid response supportive services and family assistance in collaboration with Carilion and community partners for persons experiencing the effects of gun violence (ongoing) Support of FEDUP (Families Experiencing Deliverance Using Prayer), including completion of non-profit status to better assist families with immediate and long-term support after acts of gun violence. FEDUP has expanded its program to include “Let’s Go Orange” for June 3, 2023, in support of gun violence awareness and a monthly grief support group that is transforming the lives of women and children impacted by gun violence Carilion Clinic: Violent Injury Recovery & Support Program (VIRS) - $200,000 grant Hospital-based Intervention Program. It is not unusual for Carilion’s trauma teams to respond to gun-related injuries on a daily basis. Now, they are launching the VIRS program to assist gun violence survivors beyond the bedside with the help of a new team member: an intervention specialist. The intervention specialist will act as a care coordinator, connecting survivors with resources that help them with long-term, quality-of-life recovery (e.g., mental health resources, housing, and more) City of Roanoke/TAP: Gun Violence Emergency Relocation Project (GV-ER) - $200,000 TAP’s GV-ER project will focus on relocating low-income families in the City of Roanoke from hot spots of violence and/or unsafe living conditions that would likely expose them to further violence. It follows a model TAP has seen success with for victims of domestic violence. GV-ER includes a scattered site housing-first approach to increase the safety of families at the highest risk of gun violence, as well as strong support services to address trauma. It will also provide affected families with supportive services to address prior trauma, increase mental well-being, and help families sustain safe housing. The goal is to serve between 12 and 24 families over the grant term. Response Efforts Response is critical in meeting the needs of individuals and families affected by gun violence. Whether one is injured, experiences the loss of a loved one, or is reeling from the trauma of witnessing an act of gun violence, our immediate and long-term response is critical in providing resources for assistance and in the process of grieving and healing. Current response efforts include: Funding Sources Below is a summary of funding sources related to gun violence reduction efforts in the City since 2020. The sources in bold are related to the City’s community-based efforts and have been developed in partnership with the Gun Violence Prevention Commission and community partners. The sources in regular print are dedicated to law enforcement and justice efforts. 2020/2021: •$75,000 in General Funds (utilized for pilot programs and initial round of mini-grants to community partners) 11 $648,661 Funding for 13 School Security Officers (State) $6,528,748 Roanoke City 599 Public Safety Funding (State) $28,193 Staffing for RPD Domestic Violence Specialist (State) $200,000 (CBGVLI) Gun Violence Emergency Relocation Program (TAP) $150,000 (Title II) TEAM Juvenile Justice Youth Exposure to Gun Violence (Family Service, Envision Center Mental Health Specialist) $200,000 (CBGVI) Hospital-Based Violence Injury Program (Carilion) $300,000 for continued funding in support of the Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Team and RESET Outreach Worker (AG’s Office) $700,000+ for law enforcement enhanced crime analysis and equipment (State) 2021: •$25,000 Youth and Gang Violence Community Assessment (State) •$500,000 Gun Violence Intervention Program Grant (Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Team and Program support) (State) 2021/2022: •$75,000 in General Funds (utilized for the purchase and distribution of 8,000 gun locks in collaboration with RCPS; and creation and implementation of Operation Neighborhood Pinpoint program (based on a model from Chicago) in collaboration with United Way of Roanoke Valley, Youth and Gang Violence Prevention Team and community partners) •$2,000,000 prioritized by Citizen Panel of local ARPA funding for Violence Interruption 2022: Summary of Strategic Planning Process In February 2023, the City of Roanoke’s Gun Violence Prevention Commission began the strategic planning process. Building upon the knowledge gained over the past four years and the outcomes of previous efforts to reduce gun violence within the City of Roanoke, the Commission enlisted the facilitation services of the Council of Community Services to undergo the planning process. Two planning sessions were held to review the work of the Commission to date, gain consensus around goals moving forward, and to create the recommendations included in this document. Tasked with gathering and reviewing information to study the issue of gun violence within the community; making recommendations to City Council for potential actions to reduce the epidemic of gun violence; making recommendations for enhancing existing resources and campaigns; and aiding the City in making and developing community partnerships to assist in the reduction of gun violence, the Commission has seen success in several areas. In 2019, the Commission presented recommendations to the City Council. This plan is a continuation of those recommendations, updated to reflect the current state of gun violence in the City. Through its study of evidence-based data, the Commission has identified the root causes of gun violence in the City of Roanoke as income inequality, poverty, underfunded public housing, under-resourced public services, lack of opportunity, and perceptions of hopelessness, social connectedness, and easy access to firearms by high-risk people. The Commission maintains its focus on the prevention of, intervention/interruption, and response to gun violence within the City of Roanoke. 12 The recommendations on the following pages were developed with the intent of reducing violence related to guns, addressing the root causes of gun violence, and establishing the prevention infrastructure necessary to ensure effectiveness. This set of recommendations is built upon the idea that comprehensive strategies and dedicated resources can significantly reduce gun violence and help achieve safety within the greater community. Acknowledgments The Gun Violence Prevention Commission would like to thank the City Council for its support of these important and vital long-term efforts in reducing gun violence in our community. Local Government leadership and support are critical to a sustainable community-based effort. Because of the work done by the Task Force, Study Committee, and GVP Commission, an infrastructure of community stakeholders and partners has placed and kept us in a strong strategic position to not only apply for and receive state and federal funding but to continue this work as long as possible. We want to thank all our community partners and citizens for their tireless work in making these prevention, intervention, and response strategies meaningful and effective. We also want to thank Angie O’Brien, our Assistant City Manager and Staff Liaison, Laura Carini, Sr. Assistant City Attorney and liaison, and all City staff who assist with our efforts. It is critical to remember that for our city to continue addressing violence reduction through evidence-based strategies, we need the support of city leaders and community partners to pilot and experiment with programs that we believe will work in our city. Many programs can’t just be tried once and then expected to deliver long-term results. Our ability to be agile and patient with program development and delivery is essential to our long-term success. With gratitude and a willingness to continue this work, we present the following Strategic Plan Recommendations. Gun Violence Prevention Commission Dr. Eric Anderson, Rabbi Kathy Cohen, Rev. Tim Harvey, Decca Knight, Elliot Major, Nicole Ross, Stacey Sheppard, Shakira Williams and Vice Mayor Joe Cobb 13 Identify and fund research partner(s) Implement a second community needs assessment Work with government/media/marketing partners to share information widely City Council to define frequency and detail of GVPC reporting Clarify policies and procedures for awarding and distributing funds and confirm consistencies in policies and procedures in all City-appointed authorities, boards, and commissions Communicate policies and procedures around awarding and distributing funds to the general public City Council is tasked with keeping themselves informed about grants, grant process, and awarded grantees of all City-appointed authorities, boards, and commissions. City Council is tasked with ensuring funding in City’s annual budget Seek funding from local, regional, and national philanthropic foundations Seek funding from local businesses Seek funding from the state and federal governments Establish an annual budget for the Gun Violence Prevention Commission to use for operations and grantmaking Recognize the $1.5M secured by the GVPC since 2021 RECOMMENDATION 1: To continue the research process of gathering and reviewing evidence-based data related to the root causes of gun violence. OUTCOME: More informed City government and community RECOMMENDATION 2: To codify a framework for the City of Roanoke’s gun violence funding support of prevention, intervention, and response efforts OUTCOME: The Gun Violence Prevention Commission structure is aligned with other existing City Advisory Boards and Commissions RECOMMENDATION 3: Secure ongoing funding for gun violence prevention, intervention, and response efforts by identifying sources of dedicated and sustainable funding streams. OUTCOME: City and Commission resourced to address gun violence in the community in coordination with approved recommendations 14 Build the capacity of local organizations addressing the root causes of gun violence to actively participate as partners in gun violence reduction. Capacity-building may include coalition- building, board development, sustainable funding, etc. Promote private-sector, government, nonprofit, grassroots organizations, and faith-based partnerships Pursue engagement with community foundations and local businesses Establish an Adult Community Advisory Board and a Youth Advisory Board for gun violence prevention Consult with Youth Services Citizen Board Host grant writing workshop Identify sustainable funding for long-term public campaign Test messaging and messengers to ensure what is communicated about gun violence resonates with the community Landing page for the general public Responsive/ad hoc committees to address tasks within recommendations City Council to determine the process to achieve this recommendation RECOMMENDATION 4: To increase and sustain partnerships within the community to aid in the reduction of gun violence OUTCOME: Supported and enhanced resources and partnerships to address gun violence RECOMMENDATION 5: To implement a public campaign to promote the City’s efforts to prevent, interrupt, and respond to gun violence. OUTCOME: The community is informed on the causes of gun violence, the resources that exist in the community, and the City’s response RECOMMENDATION 6: To support the GVPC internal committee structure and stakeholder engagement plan OUTCOME: An internal structure to support the work of the Commission RECOMMENDATION 7: To add two youth and young adult (non-voting) seats to the GVPC. OUTCOME: Youth perspectives incorporated into the planning and recommendations around gun violence 15 Blight Workforce Development/Economic Opportunity Affordable housing Education (Clear, actionable partnership plan with RCPS that addresses the reduction of gun violence) Greenspaces, tree canopy Youth activities Opportunities for social connection Legislative and law-enforcement strategies to reduce the accessibility of illegal firearms RECOMMENDATION 8: To address, with the City Council, the root causes of gun violence with these recommendations, in an identified and prioritized section of the city. OUTCOME: An informed and focused response to root causes and opportunities to combat gun violence 16