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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06/05/2018 05B Public Safety Committee ReportBUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL YAKIMA, WASHINGTON AGENDASTATEMENT i Item No. 5.B. For Meeting of: June 5, 2018 ITEM TITLE: Public Safety Committee report regarding Gang Conference update and forum wrap up report SUBMITTED BY: SUMMARY EXPLANATION: ITEM BUDGETED: STRATEGIC PRIORITY: APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL: STAFF RECOMMENDATION: BOARD/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION: ATTACHMENTS: Description Upload Date D gang conf info 5/25/2018 O gang conf info 5/25/2018 O gang conf info 5;2512018 O gang conf info 5/25/2018 Type Cover Memo Cover Memo Cover Memo Cover Memo Table of Contents Introduction PART I Myth # 1: Declaring War on Gangs will eradicate gangs 15 Myth # 2: America's youth are joining gangs by the thousands ..... .......................,..... .18 Myth # 3: Authorities have an accurate method for assessing how many gangs and gang members exist in their communities 24 Myth #4: All gang members are criminals and most are illegal immigrants 28 Myth #5: Tougher laws and harsher prison sentences will solve gang activity .30 Myth # 6: Street gangs are very well organized..........................................32 Myth # 7: Youth who join gangs are looking for respect, power and quick ways to make money ..................... . . . . . .........3 4 Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 2 4 Myth # 8: Once a gang member — always a gang member....................... .......... .....37 PART II Community Strategy....... ...... 1. Call a meeting of local ministers 2. Organize a collaboration of faith and community based nonprofits and other community agencies 3. Organize community stakeholders of means 4. Recruit and develop more school resource parents in addition to school resource officers 5. Resource faith -based organizations 6. Pursue local or national professionals from the entertainment, sports, arts, law enforcement, technology and other professional fields 7. The role of Law Enforcement 8. Inside -out vs. outside -in strategy 9. Gang prevention and The Home Field Advantage 10. How should school administrators address gangs and gang members on campus? 11. Can a community ever get rid of gangs? 12. A powerful solution formula Copyright 0 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, Introduction In 1967 President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to study the rioting that took place in several different parts of the country during the summer of 1967. It was a defining moment and turning point for the nation as protests among the black community broke out in rioting and civil disobedience that shook the nation to the core of its conscience. The riots made it acutely obvious that something was definitely wrong, and could no longer be ignored, in the relationship between blacks and whites in American society. In an effort to get to the root of the problems President Johnson directed the commission by saying in part: "...The only genuine, long range solution for what has happened lies in an attack — mounted at every level — upon the conditions that breed despair and violence. All of us know what those conditions are: ignorance, discrimination, slums, poverty, disease, and not enough jobs. We should attack these conditions — not because we are frightened by conflict, but because we are fired by conscience. We should attack them because there is simply no other way to achieve a decent and orderly society in America." (U.S. Riot Commission Report by the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorder) Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 6 When it was all said and done, and the report was produced on how to address the violence crisis, one of the witnesses invited to appear before the commission stated: "I read that report... and it is as if I were reading the report of the investigating committee on the Harlem riot of '35, the report of the investigating committee on the Harlem riot of '43, the report of the McCone Commission on the Watts riot. I must again in candor say to you members of this Commission — it is a kind of Alice in Wonderland — with the same moving picture re -shown over and over again, the same analysis, the same recommendations, and the same inaction." After investing over two decades of my career on the "front lines" of gang prevention and intervention, I have to concur with the statement of the gentlemen referred to above. I have followed and tracked the community response to gangs and witnessed many communities continuing to repeat the "the same analysis" and "the same recommendations" over and over again in regards to youth gangs and how to best go about addressing this growing community problem. Specifically what I am seeing "over and over again" is a heavy reliance on law enforcement to solve the gang problem, especially in communities where gangs are a Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 7 new phenomenon. This reaction of course is natural since gangs do involve violence and other illegal activities as part of their culture. However, as we now know (and as law enforcement officials have admitted), the gang problem is not something that law enforcement can solve. To be sure, the suppression tactics of law enforcement are a necessary and important piece of dealing with the problem, but new communities should keep this in perspective; that law enforcement is a necessary, short-term disruption—not a long-term solution. Gangs are a fact of life not a mere problem In his comments made to the National Investigative Committee, President Johnson correctly summed up why youth violence, or gangs, exists: • Ignorance • Discrimination • Slums/Poverty • Disease • Not enough jobs I would also add a few more reasons: racism, drugs and broken families. But the point is that youth violence, in the form of a gang or other expressions, is the result of Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 8 larger social conditions. And while we have "attacked" these social conditions, as the President suggested back in 1967, we still have not been able to rid our society from these conditions that breed gangs and other forms of youth violence. It is important for community leaders and decision makers to understand these larger social issues as they seek solutions and develop strategies that prioritize use of limited community resources. successthl gang control will not be achieved by intervention with yiauth, but by irdervention with the nature of gang -spawning communities." — Klein/Maxson Because of the continuance of these larger social issues, communities need to view gangs as a fact of life vs. a mere problem. A problem is usually something I can fix. A fact of life is something I have to learn to live with. Therefore, unless we are able to somehow come up with solutions to these larger social issues, the fact is we are always going to have gangs. Gangs are not a problem that a community can get rid of "once and for all", anymore than a gardener can get rid of the problem of weeds. They just keep coming back due to the natural laws of the environment that Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, produce them. Yet, in light of this, we continue to hear community authority figures say things like, "We are declaring war on gangs" and "we will remove this scourge" from our community. For example, in 2011 the heavily gang infested area of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles County, the Contra Costa Times newspaper reported, "Gang members in the central San Fernando Valley were put on notice this week: Stop the violence, or law enforcement will come down hard on not just you, but your entire gang...it's going to be like nothing you've ever seen before... it's going to be relentless." (Contracostatimes.com — posted 6/1/2011). However, seven years later gangs remain a deep part of the fabric of the San Fernando community. When faced with the ongoing gang crime, violence, and often the loss of innocent lives, it's understandable that the police response would be to "declare war" as stated in the article above. But the point I'm making here is this strategic attitude has not worked. Yet, communities continue to resort to this as the answer and consequently invest the majority of their resources in this war on gang's effort. It would be wiser to approach the gang issue as a fact of life and therefore something Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group All rights Reserved. 10 9 to allocate resources to in a more efficient and effective strategy for the long-term. Another aspect of communities dealing with gangs is the need for accurate knowledge. When I observe communities implementing the same old practices and priorities that have proven ineffective, I fear we have given in to the myths and not the facts. There's a lot of information these days regarding gangs. It has evolved into quite an industry with gang conferences springing up all over the country providing information on the latest trends, statistics and "best community practices." Yet, despite these efforts to educate, there is still a tendency for "gang myths" to drive the agenda of local, state and national gang policies. Using a sports metaphor, I encourage communities to look at gangs as their "competition" as opposed to their "enemy." An enemy implies a whole different mindset and strategy, whereas competition is an attitude much more conducive to most (not all) gang situations. Following this line of reasoning, and given the vicious non-stop growth of gangs and search for more and Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 11 better solutions, it's time for a community time out or, as I like to call it, a "community two minute warning." For those of you not familiar with football, a two - minute warning is a specific time in the game where the officials call an automatic time out for both teams. This time is used for strategic purposes where the coaches and players can confer and assess where they are in the game and make the necessary adjustments to give them the best advantage to either stay ahead and win, or come from behind and win. This is exactly what we need to do as communities dealing with gangs. It is time for city officials to step back, call time out and think about what we are doing, whether or not what we are doing is working, and if it is the best use of community resources. Just like football teams that develop special plays and players to implement specific strategic plays during those final two minutes before the end of the game, so we also need to make sure we have the right "players" on the field to deal with our specific needs to win. This requires an accurate assessment of where we are weak, where we are strong, as well as, the weaknesses and strengths of our competition. No coach worth their Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 12 salt would devise a strategy on faulty information about their team or their competition. They are dependent on accuracy, facts, and discoveries that guide them into an advantage. They would feel sabotaged by their assistants if they did not report back "the good, the bad and the ugly." As expert gang researcher Malcolm Klein says: "In short, gang proliferation has changed important aspects of our society and seldom in desirable ways. Thus the extent to which responses are based on inappropriate, conventional wisdom versus accumulated fact -based understandings takes on special importance." Thus, if we are to avoid repeating the same analysis, which leads to the same ineffective recommendations of the past on how to deal with gangs, we must be sure about the facts vs. the myths. This is why I have written this simple, short book. Like an assistant coach sitting up in the coaches' box overlooking the field, I am giving you a viewpoint of where we are weak, where we are strong and what we need to do to stay relevant and competitive in this life and death "game." As community leaders (like the "head coach" of your team) it's up to you to either receive or reject the accumulated Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 13 fact -based understanding of youth gangs and make the calls on your own home field. Richard R. Ramos Santa Barbara, CA G MYTHS Copyright CO 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 14 15 Myth # 1: Declaring War on Gangs will eradicate gangs. Since 1999 I have been collecting and analyzing the gang literature addressing prevention, intervention and suppression. Below are a few quotes regarding years of study and research on the "war on gangs" approach: "In conclusion, there is no clear solution to preventing or reducing gang activity, although some promising programs have been identified...Clearly, there is no one "magic bullet" program or "best practice" for preventing gang affiliation and gang -associated violence. In spite of years of research and years of suppression, intervention, and prevention efforts, considerable disagreement exists regarding the nature and extent of youth gangs. Debate still centers on how to define gangs. These definitional questions reveal both a lack of consensus about the magnitude of the gang problem and confusion about what policies might best address it." - OJJDP 2000, JJ Bulletin, Sept. 2000 "Part of the difficulty in addressing gangs lies in knowing what exactly a gang is." American Prosecutors Research Institute 2007 "A proven, effective set of prescribed steps for mobilizing communities to address gang problems does not exist." - OJJDP — 2009 "Most regions in the United States will experience increased gang membership, continued migration of gangs to suburban and rural Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 16 areas, and increased gang -related activity. .Gang related violence is very likely to remain at high levels or increase as gangs expand their criminal operations..." — National Gang Threat Assessment - 2009 "The most notable trends for 2011 have been the overall increase in gang membership, and the expansion of criminal street gangs' control of street -level drug sales and collaboration with rival gangs and other criminal organizations...Gangs are expanding, evolving and posing an increasing threat to US communities nationwide." — 2011 National Gang Threat Assessment "Results of the 2015 NGR indicate that gangs of all types remain steadfast in their objectives to generate revenue and gain control of the territories they inhabit; and in their dedication to these habits gangs continue to grow in numbers and expand in their criminal activities." — 2015 National Gang Report I understand the passion, frustration, anger, and desire of law enforcement, politicians, community leaders and parents that are tired of the problems gangs create, and want to put a stop to it all. Nevertheless, the fact is there are neither quick -fix solutions nor any magic law enforcement tactics proven to have solved the riddle of how to eradicate the gang problem. Yet, many "new" as well as old gang communities continue to invest their scarce resources in a heavy suppression strategy. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 17 "After a quarter century of a multi -billion dollar war on gangs, there are six times as many gangs. .Suppression alone...cannot solve this problem. Law enforcement officials now agree that they cannot arrest their way out of violence crisis...In sum, despite decades of research into gangs and violence, there is no single, definitive formula for success in reducing either. Even federal authorities who have invested heavily into gang suppression strategies note, 'Although thousands of programs have been implemented...the ongoing difficulties with youth gangs make one lesson very clear: there are no quick fixes or easy solutions for the problems that youth gangs create or the problems that create youth gangs.' And leading gang researcher Malcolm Klein recently noted that the quest for how to end gang activity and violence remains largely unanswered."- Final Report, L.A. Advancement project — 2007 "Law enforcement agencies play a critical role in any plan; however, a suppression strategy alone will never solve the problem of gang violence. If government continues to disproportionately fund law enforcement efforts in neighborhoods plagued by violence without adequately funding gang intervention work on the streets and within detention and incarceration facilities to end violence, then governments will only provide temporary solutions. Thus, law enforcement should be an essential part of a comprehensive gang intervention package, but they should not be relied upon to reduce gang violence. Gang intervention cannot be law enforcement driven." — Los Angeles City Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Gang Violence and Youth Development — 2008 Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — Al! rights Reserved. 18 The above two statements represent the mainstream opinion across the country and all the way up into Canada (where they're seeing an increase of gang activity like never before). Study after study, gang experts and law enforcement continue to speak in harmony that gang suppression is not the primary place where communities should invest their resources to effectively address this issue. Yet, communities still continue to employ this strategy. Acknowledging that a "war on gangs" mentality is NOT the answer is an important first step in helping us to re -think our strategies and allocation of community resources. Myth # 2: America's youth are joining gangs by the thousands. If we consider gang joining on a national, big scheme of things, then it might seem like thousands of youth are joining gangs. However, upon closer scrutiny the truth is that most American youth never join gangs. According to renowned gang research experts, Malcolm W. Klein and Cheryl L. Maxson: Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 19 "The best estimate of general U.S. youth gang prevalence is 5% ever -joined, 2% current gang members...Perhaps the strongest message in this research is that even with unrestricted definitions in high risk populations, most youth — 7 or 8 out of 10 — do not join gangs through adolescence." - Klein, Maxson, 2006. "Street Gang Patterns and Policies", Oxford University Press Thus, with this fact (which is seldom given its proper attention) we gain a new perspective in searching for answers to gang prevention. In fact, given the research in our quest for solutions, the question—"Why kids join gangs?"—is the wrong question. The correct question, where we find a huge clue to prevention, is, "Why do most kids not join gangs?" And the answer is – most kids don't join gangs because there are still homes where parents are doing a good job of raising children to be loyal to their families, have respect for authority, and, most importantly, giving unconditional love that gives the child inner security and self-worth that satisfies their individual need to belong and matter. Yet, this simple truth is almost always overlooked or underemphasized as a root gang prevention tool that should be the first priority, or at least at the core, of any Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — Al! rights Reserved 20 community gang prevention strategy and allocation of resources. Why some kids choose to join gangs and other negative lifestyles None of us can claim that we've never made any mistakes in our past. Most of us have done things, both in our youth and as adults, which we're not proud of. However, making mistakes in life is much different from choosing a lifestyle of negative behaviors. My experience in working with and helping many gang members get out of their gang taught me that the primary reason they chose this negative lifestyle was because something was missing in their relationship at home with their parents. Thus, contrary to the conventional wisdom of developing another youth program, I developed a parent leadership program I call, "Parents on a Mission" (POM), which intentionally addresses the parent-child relationship in the home. This is not to say that parents are always to blame for every youth who decides to take the wrong path of life. As I often teach parents, we are not blaming you, but Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 21 rather naming you as the number one asset in your child's life, especially as it pertains to the long-term affect on the community at large. While it remains true that some parents can do everything "right" and their kids can still rebel. And other parents can do everything "wrong" and their kids turn out great. Nonetheless, in general, I contend that the parent-child relationship is a vital component of the research alluded to by Klein and Maxson stating that only 5% of American youth "ever -joined", and "2% [are] current gang members." It seems a matter of common sense that healthy child rearing most often results in children who choose productive lifestyles and make positive contributions to society. At this point, as I continue to watch, collect, and study the gang literature and news stories, I'm happy to report that more and more law enforcement and authority figures are beginning to adopt the "Parents on a Mission" message and mind -set as a long- term solution to keeping kids from joining gangs. It does NOT take a village to raise a child Community youth programs are good, needed and well Copyright © 20111 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 22 intended. But they can never replace the important role of the parents in nurturing and cultivating children who grow to be positive, contributing members of their community and therefore have no need to join gangs or any negative lifestyle. Parents who understand how to win the battle for the loyalty of their children, are empowered to know that the answer to their worries or concerns is not out there somewhere in "the village", but is really under their control, under their roof, and under their loving guidance. Understanding this, parents in any situation, culture or ethnicity and in any family situation; single mothers, divorced, blended, foster, grandparents raising their children's children, step- parents, or just the plain old "nuclear family" can have confidence and hope that their investment in themselves to practice the principles of personal growth and maturity and loving relationship with their children, provides their children with a type of "immunity" to community negative influences. To be clear, I'm not talking about perfection or young people who never make mistakes or wrong choices. I'm talking about parents building a solid moral foundation that will ultimately develop an "immune system" within that will win out over the temptations to choose to join long - Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 23 term negative lifestyles. To illustrate, I am reminded of a conversation I had one day as I was attending child's birthday party. The Grandfather of the child was there and as we were sitting together, we had the following exchange: "Richard, I want to ask you a question. A lot of kids in this community listen to you and with all the problems we are having with gangs and youth violence, why don't you get them all together and talk to them?" I replied, "Well that would certainly be helpful and I have, and will continue to do that. But, I don't think that is really the best way to handle this situation." He looked at me somewhat puzzled and said, "What do you mean?" I replied, "Well, since you are a gardener by profession, let me put it to you in a way that I know you'll understand. If you walked by your neighbors garden and saw that the flowers were all wilted, dry and dying, who would you rather talk to, the flowers or the gardener?" With that a smile broke out on his face and he told me that I made a good point that he really had not considered before. I explained to him that our children Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — Al! rights Reserved 24 were like the flowers in our garden and the parents were like the gardeners, and if we really wanted to make the best and most effective prevention impact, it would be the work done with "gardeners", more than just the "flowers. Myth # 3: Authorities have an accurate method for assessing how many gangs and gang members exist in their communities. The fact is they do not. According to the Juvenile Offenders and Victims: 2006 National Report, the gang numbers were between 24-30,000 gangs and approximately 760,000 gang members in America. In 2008 The National Gang Center estimated that 32.4 percent of all cities, suburban areas, towns, and rural counties experienced gang problems. It was estimated that there were approximately 774,000 gang members and 27,900 gangs active in the United States in 2008. The number of gangs increased by 28 percent, and the number of gang members increased by 6 percent from 2002 to 2008. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 25 In 2009 the National Gang Threat Assessment released information with totals of 20,000 gangs equaling 1 million gang members. Let's take a closer look at these numbers: • In 2006 we were told there were between 24- 30,000 gangs and 760,000 members. • In 2008 we were told there were 27,900 gangs totaling 774,000 members. • In 2009 we were told there are 20,000 gangs in America totaling 1 million members. • In 2011 the National Gang Threat Assessment stated there were now more than 33,000 gangs and 1.4 million gang members. There seems to be a lot of discrepancies within these numbers. Under closer scrutiny by those who study these things it is doubtful we are getting an accurate picture. As pointed out earlier, because there is no accepted written definition of what a gang is, the question becomes — how can law enforcement count gangs and gang members accurately? Recognizing this problem, the National Youth Gang Center, which conducts Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserve& 26 annual, national surveys for OJJDP, has had to change its definition over the years of which groups law enforcement should count as gangs. The first definition given to law enforcement agencies gathering the data on gangs and gang members in their community read; "A group of youths or young adults in your jurisdiction that you or other responsible persons in your agency or community are willing to identify as a 'gang." Leaving it up to police and/or "other responsible persons" to be willing to choose who they think is a gang member raises some serious doubts as to not only the accuracy of the areas counted, but the type of youth as well. Second definition: "A group of youths in your jurisdiction whose involvement in illegal activities over months or years marks them in their own view and in the view of the community and police as different from most other youthful groups. Do not include motorcycle gangs, hate or ideology groups, prison gangs or other exclusively adult groups." Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 27 Consequently, estimates based on the first definition were inaccurate. According to data from the survey using the second definition above, the number of jurisdictions with gangs was overestimated by 12%, and the number of gangs in those jurisdictions was overestimated by 26% (Klein: p. 6). Moreover, these and other current definitions used to define gangs continue to make it nearly impossible to get an accurate count of gangs and gang members. And, according to the Justice Policy Institute report, "Gang Wars"; "...the most recent comprehensive law enforcement estimate indicates that youth gang membership fell from 850,000 in 1996 to 760,000 in 2004 and that the proportion of jurisdictions reporting gang problems has dropped substantially. The myth of the growing gang menace has been fueled by sensational media coverage and miss -use of law enforcement gang statistics, which gang experts consider unreliable for the purpose of tracking local crime trends." (www.justicepolicy.org). Additionally — Who is counting the hundreds of gang members that leave the gang each year? This is a subject that deserves more attention. If there is research that gives these numbers I am unaware of it. However, that does not mean gang members aren't Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 28 leaving gangs. To the contrary, it's happening all the time, as any gang prevention/intervention community worker knows. Finally, the latest statistics released in the 2015 National Gang Report stated: "Street gangs continue to impact communities across the United States and do not show signs of decreasing membership or declining criminal activity." This research concludes that the number of gangs and gang members is inconclusive and that we need to keep the problem in perspective especially since billions of taxpayer dollars are invested in prevention and intervention strategies. Myth #4: All gang members are criminals and most are illegal immigrants. First, all gang members are not criminals. Or, said another way, not every single gang member lives a daily life of crime. However, some jurisdictions have passed laws that make it illegal to be in a gang and to recruit others to join their gang. That is a different subject, and misses the point I'm trying to address here. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 29 Ultimately, being in a gang can lead to criminal activity, but I've worked with many young gang members who had not committed crimes at the time I was trying to help them leave the gang. Secondly, a good majority of youth street gang members are local, American born citizens who unfortunately have chosen this destructive lifestvle. Contrary to popular myths, all gang members do not carry or use guns. All gang members do not sell or use drugs. All gang members do not commit criminal acts of violence. Of course many gang members do commit crimes, carry guns, use and sell drugs. And there are many undocumented gang members to be sure. But tying together all local youth gang members as criminals and illegal immigrants is misleading in a variety of ways. Are there some connections? Yes, and recent statistics from the 2015 National Gang Report (p.30) show an increase in some particular places and situations. Thus, there is overlap, but it should not be assumed that overlap is the same everywhere. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 30 Myth #5: Tougher Laws and harsher prison sentences will solve gang activity. As already pointed out — Law Enforcement knows better. Nevertheless, both State and Federal lawmakers continue to take the suppression approach and the call to increase our judicial power to prosecute more juveniles as adults. In a 2005 report, Ganging Up on Communities, putting Gang Crime in Context (Justice Policy Institute www.justicepolicy.org) stated the following: "Although crime has been decreasing in the United States for the past twelve years, many people fear that violent crime, especially gang -related crime, is rising...Currently, public opinion is swayed by sensationalized stories from media and lawmakers who say that gang -related crime is a "national crisis," requiring new federal and state legislation, mandatory minimums, and new powers to arrest, detain, imprison, and deport young people... Responding to provisions to transfer youth to adult prison, Robert Shepherd, Professor of Law at the University of Richmond and former Virginia prosecutor, says: "this bill flies in the face of what works with young people ...the evidence shows that trying young people as adults exacerbates rather than lessens crime." To be fair, not all communities or law enforcement are pushing this narrative as it was in the past. I believe it's Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group All rights Reserved. 31 because of the effect of past and current research, as well as some of the comments of former prison gang members on the ineffectiveness of sending youth to prison as a gang solution: "Rather than prison being a place to send gang members in an attempt to break up the gang, gangs have adapted and used prison to advance their interests." - Hagedorn, "A World of Gangs" (2009) "It's an accepted fact of life that Mexican Mafia members and associates don't need to be on the street to conduct business. To shot-callers...going to prison doesn't put you out of circulation. It means you've been relocated to the home office." - Rafael, "The Mexican Mafia" (2007) "Gang proliferation and gang migration — mostly emanating from southern California — has spread across the United States and into a number of foreign countries as if it were a disease...Clearly, I don't possess a cure for that plague, but what I can do is offer...an insiders view of prison. .the Mexican Mafia's tentacles reach far beyond the walls and razor wire fences of prisons. And sadly, its influence also continues to ignite racial violence between Blacks and Latinos in schools, as well as racially motivated street gang wars." — Rene, "Boxer", Enriguez, former EME leader. Blatchford, "The Black Hand" (2008) Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group —All rights Reserved, 32 Let me be clear: incarceration is needed. It does have an important and appreciated role to play in dealing with certain necessary aspects of this problem. Yet, at the same time communities must continue to give attention to the data other than that which supports the "round'em up and lock'em up", gang injunction, war on gangs approach. Myth # 6: Street gangs are very well organized. To the contrary — most gangs are not well organized. "First and foremost, we need to recognize that gang members spend much more time hangin' than bangin" - Klein Generally speaking, anyone who has been a gang member, or spent time with gang members, knows there is not a lot of sophistication to what they do, when they do it, and how or where they do it. The idea is a myth that a local street gang sits around a table strategizing crimes or revenge on their enemies. "Strategic planning" is not common to most local youth street gangs. Conversely, it is important that we not overlook the previous statement of the ability of prison gangs and Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 33 34 gangs that smuggle and sell drugs, to utilize a certain amount of strategy and planning. In a book on the Mexican Mafia, the author states: "The EME/street gang enterprise is organized. Importing and distributing drugs, collecting proceeds, keeping out competitors, taxing the dealers and funneling the money into prisons requires at least a functional level of organization...to deny a functioning organization is to deny reality...Street gangsters are often the puppets of the big homies locked up in prison. The proof is overwhelming and plays itself out on almost a daily basis in almost every neighborhood in Southern California." — Tony Rafael But, again, this does not apply to all gangs. Most local youth gangs operate more on a spontaneous reaction to an event, or go out looking to cause trouble, which is not exactly the same as a well thought out scheme rehearsed and timed. Even the issue of leadership is a question. Leadership in a gang is very organic and can change from situation to situation. Thus, while I understand there exists so-called sophisticated national and international gangs, we should not make the mistake of classifying all gangs and gang members in this category. Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. Myth # 7: Youth who join gangs are looking for respect, power and quick ways to make money. Yes, but there's more to the story. According to my own experience and research with hundreds and hundreds of boys and girls who joined gangs, their number one response for why they joined was because they were sad, broken hearted, unappreciated, neglected and simply unhappy at home. I realize this might seem trivial to some, but as one who has had the chance to build trust with gang members and get them to speak the truth from their hearts – they confessed to me that the root of the problem lies in the home, not in the streets, schools or society. Furthermore, as gang experts have invested a lot of time and money in studying the gang phenomenon—they still are not in agreement, or able to answer three very basic questions communities want to know: 1. What is a gang? 2. Why do kids join gangs? 3. What is the best way to prevent youth from joining gangs? Copyright © 2018 The Rarnos Group — All rights Reserved. 35 Oftentimes I believe we can over think a situation and can also forget that sometimes scientific research is not always the only—or best—way to find solutions to human problems. Here is a case in point from a 14 -year-old girl gang member answering the question of why she joined a gang—that answers all three questions above: "EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW Y.WHY DID YOU JOIN? YOU HAVE A FAMILY O LOVES AND CARES FOR YOU,WHY, WHY MEJA WHY? I JOINED BECAUSE N I WAS A LIL GURL ALOT SHYT PPENED TO 1. THAT NOBODY KNOWS ABOUT AND I VE KEPT INSIDE OF ODY LISTENED TO ME ALL THYZ TYME. NO ME AND WHEN THEY DID,THEY, THEY SAID I WAS LYING. DRUG ADDICT DAD AND WORK ALCOHOLIC MOM, NO BROTHERS, NO SISTERS, A STEP DAD THAT ONLY WANTS TO TOUCH ME. A r A BABYSITER WHOSE SON DID TOUCH ME.MY MOM ALWAYS RIPPING ME OUT OF FAMILIES THAT I THOUGHT WERE MINE, IT WAS ALL LIES. LIVING IN THA GHETTO WONDE ` G WHY? CAN YOU TELL Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 36 ME WHY? CAN YOU TELL ME Y I WAS BORN IN THIS LIFE OF SEX DRUGS AND ALCOHOL, BACK STABBING OF MY SO CALLED REAL FAMILY? I WAS JUST A LIL GURL DANM. THOSE MEMORIES ARE WITH ME FOREVER I'M SCARED TO LIVE LIFE I'M SCARED TO TRUST N -E BODY, I'M SCARED. SO WHY DID I JOIN? I JOINED BECAUSE I NEEDED SUMONE AND THEY WERE THE ONLY ONES THERE.I NEEDED SUMONE TO MAKE ME FEEL WANTED AND I NEEDED SUMONE TO CARE. THATST t: T'S Y. We can continue to argue, debate and spend a lot of money to study the gang. But to me it's really not that hard to understand. Is it really more complicated than what this girl is saying? I don't think so. In this insightful and honest testimony from a 14 -year- old girl, we have the answers to all three questions: 1. What is a gang? A gang is a second family. 2. Why do kids join gangs? Because they can't trust their dysfunctional families to be loyal to them. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 37 3. How can we prevent youth from joining gangs? Good parenting is the best prevention. Myth # 8: Once a gang member – Always a gang member. If this were true, and we really believed it then why do we do what we do as gang prevention/intervention specialist? Why would we spend time and money creating gang intervention programs if we believe that gang members never choose to leave the gang? Sadly, this remains one of the greatest disservices of our media and others who have the means and could be exposing the truth, and give a message of hope on a mass scale that even the hardest of gang members are not beyond the reach of the arm of compassion. It is true that leaving the gang is difficult and that some do pay with their life. But if we believe this is the consequence 100% of the time—why would we want to put someone's life in danger with a gang prevention/intervention program encouraging him or her to do the very thing that endangers their life? Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 38 The truth is the "once a gang member always a gang member" and "blood in – blood out" does not apply to all gang members who desire to leave their gang. If it did, none of us would know any gang members who have successfully left the gang life. The truth of the matter is many of us do know gang members who have left their gangs. The untold story in this arena is the effectiveness of the faith community in reaching out to and transforming the lives of literally tens of thousands of hard-core gang members (as parole and probation officers, police and gang practitioners know). The facts is that during the same time in which gangs have grown over the past forty or fifty years, thousands of gang members have transformed their lives, left the gang, and are leading responsible community contributing lifestyles. But as I mentioned earlier- the social science practitioners and investors in studies are not counting those numbers. Another fact is that many gang members simply out grow the gang lifestyle and choose to become "inactive" for a variety of reasons ranging from getting a good to job to getting their girlfriend pregnant and/or getting married. Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 39 We do well to remember that gang members are people. They are human beings before they are anything else. They have the same human needs that we all have and given the right circumstances and opportunity, any gang member can change at any time. Many wonderful faith -based organizations are doing great work in the life transformation of individual gang members. Unfortunately, most faith -based organizations tend not to do a great job of documenting or publicizing their results because it's not a part of their organizational culture. Additionally, their methodology is hard to quantify in social science terms and therefore down played and considered "only anecdotal" by academics. Faith -based work is considered controversial since it involves an element of faith and religion. Fortunately, the good news is government and city officials, schools, and law enforcement have become much more concerned with focusing on results—the individual anecdote—rather than the so called "evidenced -based" social science practices that in many cases have not proven to be as effective as they are purported to be. Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved With the focus on the tangible results of a transformed life we can bring hope to parents and families struggling for answers to the gangs competing for the hearts, minds, and souls of their children. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 40 PART II A Blueprint for Action Community Strategy If a Mayor of a city asked me what to do about gangs in their community, I would recommend the following strategies outlined below. This is not a comprehensive list, nor are these strategies new ideas, but perhaps new in priority and emphasis. The following Blue Print requires mature leadership (not necessarily from the Mayor) to facilitate stakeholder discussion, investment of resources, and selection of a lead agency for implementation. 1. Call a meeting of local ministers. There are many faith -based leaders interested in helping address this issue. Sometimes they just need to be engaged and educated on how they can use some of their abilities and individuals in their congregations to support citywide efforts that includes but not limited to: • A consistent and systematic strategy of targeted prayer, • Consistent outreach to gang members, • Practical support to the gang member's families that are open to receiving a variety of services faith based organizations offer. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 43 2. Organize a collaboration of faith and community based nonprofits and other community agencies. Many grassroots organizations have already established relationships with gang members and other high-risk youth and their families. Specific meetings can be held to learn what they are doing and where community resources can help their organization expand, strengthen and improve their effectiveness. City and County officials can make a commitment to keep this work supported. Accountability should be required by quarterly reports to an established community committee or advisory council. 3. Organize community stakeholders of means. Community officials and stakeholders are encouraged to make specific connections with local businesses, education, Universities/Colleges, and philanthropic entities, to develop specific targeted resources to be directly applied to those grassroots organizations proving to do consistent, effective gang prevention/intervention work. This specialized type of work is not for everyone and therefore should not be a matter of open competition for funding. Copyright CO 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 44 What generally happens when money becomes available for gang prevention/intervention work is more sophisticated nonprofits—that don't necessarily have a proven track record for this type of work—apply for the money get awarded because they have a grant writer that knows how to say all the right things that funders want to hear. This is, and has been, a problem for a number of years. The other issue is that most of the money ends up going to law enforcement. What I am suggesting here is that a fair majority of the money should go to community-based organizations with a proven history of results in transforming the lives of gang members. There should NOT be an open competition for these specific dollars. Funders should specify that the main criterion for eligibility to apply for this money is the ability to show proven results. 4. Recruit and develop more School Resource Parents in addition to School Resource Officers. I suggest this could be one of the best ways for school officials to create a safe culture and calmer environment for those schools with gangs and other potential violent incidents. This is a powerful combination. Police presence brings one type of culture – parent presence Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 45 brings quite a different type of school culture and social compliance that eases tension and builds community rapport. Additional alumni (who may not be parents) from the school and community stakeholders are also a good resource to be on campus. 5. Specific Resources for Faith -based organizations. The best intervention strategy for local youth street gangs I have experienced is the engagement of and support for a systematic — consistent outreach from the faith community. Especially those comprised of ex - gang members. Because of the religious nature of this type of outreach resources usually must come from private donors. But if city officials are serious about effectively impacting local gangs, they should be willing to seek and solicit faith -based private funds with the same enthusiasm as any other non faith -based community project that benefits their constituents. The spiritual component may not be the conventional approach sought by some city officials, but that traditional bias has changed much over the past several years because community stakeholders have become Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 46 more focused on the bottom line of positive results regardless of the methodology. Some persons may even criticize a city official for meeting with faith -based leaders. Nevertheless, this is a respected aspect of the gang culture that is seldom addressed and overlooked as a strategic part of a community plan. However, faith -based organizations have a long history of making a huge difference in transforming the lives of gang members because of the "inside -out" nature of their work. "Other former gang members tell similar stories. The church — in particular the evangelical Pentecostal church — drew them into its fold and wrenched them, prayer service by prayer service, from the tenacious grip of the gangs. The gangs, in turn, respected this exit. Becoming an active member of a religious community remains virtually the only way someone can leave the notorious gang Mara Salvatrucha, better known as MS -13, alive. There is little reliable data on how many members have left MS -13 by joining a church, but in a recent Florida International University survey of nearly 1,200 gang members in El Salvador's jails, 58 percent said the church was the "most appropriate organization to lead rehabilitation programs." — Steven Dudley, April 26, 2018 (https://www.n imes . coin/2018/04/26/op inion/ms-13 -gang- religion.html) Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 47 For example, part of the reason why human beings commit hateful and violent acts of crime against other human beings, is caused by more than what meets the natural eye. The scriptures tell us there is a spiritual dominance of evil that must be wrestled with by what can be called "spiritual warfare." "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." - The Apostle Paul One may, or may not, adhere to biblical teaching or believe in the supernatural unseen realm—as it is referred to. Yet, I've never heard a better explanation for what causes humans to treat each other with such hatred and brutal acts of violence. I believe it is why the faith community has been so effective in helping to transform the lives of countless thousands of gang members. 6. Pursue local (or national) professionals from the entertainment, sports, arts, law enforcement, technology and other professional fields. Organize Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 48 and implement strategic small seminars/conferences and expose high-risk youth and gang members to professionals from different areas of expertise who can share, inspire and instruct gang members in discovering and developing their talents in a positive lifestyle. These events do not need to be big, lavish, expensive events. One passionate professional in a room full of impressionable youth can work wonders if done consistently and followed up with local programs and guidance on an ongoing basis. In my experience of providing these types of events, I learned that exposing gang members to the Arts (music, dance, and drama) proved to be one of our most successful strategies for giving them motivation, vision and new purpose to use their talents in this arena and turn away from the gang lifestvle. 7. The role of Law Enforcement? Law Enforcement needs to do what they are best at – enforce the law, gather accurate intelligence and educate all concerned parties as to the nature of the types of gangs their community is dealing with. Some types of gangs may require more law enforcement focus and attention and the above strategies may not be effective with some more sophisticated and violent gangs. Having said that, Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 49 the above strategies have worked with local youth and street gangs, as well as with the hardest of prison and drug gang members. Sometimes law enforcement is expected to "do it all" meaning to prevent kids from joining gangs, create mentoring programs, sports leagues and other "social program" efforts. To be sure—I applaud the work of our first responders to violence in our communities. Although there has been a lot of controversy in the past several years around police shootings, abuse of force and use of authority—I do believe that the majority of police officers are well meaning individuals with right motives to do their job as a service to their community. That said, most law enforcement agencies agree that their role is not to prevent kids from joining gangs, nor to solve or deal directly with the social issues that spawn neighborhood gangs. 8. Inside -Out vs. Outside -In Strategy Simply put, on an individual level, intervention is about stepping into and interrupting someone's life that is headed down the road of self–destruction. This requires an "inside -out approach" FIRST that gets at the root cause of their reasons for pursuing a negative lifestyle. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group—All rights Reserved. 50 The inside – out approach lays the foundation for their capacity to receive programmatic help. This is a very important point to understand as we traditionally have been going about it backwards. Somehow we continue to approach gang members with "programs" first, or what I call the "outside – in" methodology, not realizing that if we don't address what's going on "within", all the programs we offer from "without" will have minimal (if any) positive, short term effect. I've personally run gang intervention programs that contained a faith -based element and others that did not. The difference between the two in life transformation, performance and improved relationships both in school and at home was very obvious. I'm not a psychologist and I won't pretend to understand all that goes on in the head of gang members – but having lived that lifestyle as an adolescent, I do understand what goes on in their hearts and have seen dramatic, positive results time and again when approached with this understanding. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 51 "Outside — In" vs. "Inside — Out" Gang Prevention/Intervention Strategy Outside — In Approach Relies on the I Whole C;ornmunity Relies on Prpgr. s Prioritizes Mental Health Emphasizes Rehabilitation Prioritizes Jobs Emphasizes new outer personal environment Increase of Youth Mentors More School Resource Officers Seeks Funding for Many Orlanizations Inside — Out Approach Relies on the Home Relies on Parents Prioritizes Spiritual Health Emphasizes Reconciliation Prioritizes Self — Esteem Emphasizes new inner personal environment Increase of Parent Mentors More School Resource Parents Seeks Funding for Specific Organizations Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 52 These simple principles save a lot of time, money, and effort for everybody concerned. It specifies roles for different stakeholders in the community to contribute in areas where they are comfortable and competent. It avoids the conventional wisdom of gathering "everybody" together to "talk about" the problem. But oftentimes people, who have no knowledge or experience with gangs, gang members, and their families, show up to these meetings, make irrelevant comments and/or speeches and add little to no value to the discussion or purpose of the meeting. There are other public forums and media outlets for members of the larger community to express their views, opinions, and vent their anger. Not "everybody" is qualified to devise gang prevention and intervention strategies. Our purpose is to be agile, mobile, and quick to support effective and proven efforts already in place. We should not invest our time in having to begin at square one unless the gang issue is truly a new phenomenon and the community is without any experience in dealing with gangs. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 53 9. Gang Prevention and The Home Field Advantage Years ago I was hired as an at -risk counselor by a nonprofit that was in partnership with the school district to fund my position. My primary role was to engage the at -risk youth referred to me by teachers, counselors, parents and/or the youth themselves. My caseload soon became filled with gang members, which was the beginning of a journey that continues today and why I have written this book to help communities and schools to address gang issues. The school Principal (to his credit) allowed me much leeway in addressing and engaging the gang members on campus. I organized a school MECHA Club (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano De Aztlan). I organized contests, dances and other field trips and fun activities that these kids had never experienced before. Ultimately, I became like a father figure to most of them. This allowed me to really dig deep and get at the root cause of why they were joining gangs and choosing such a destructive lifestyle. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 54 This interaction and relationship of trust on campus lead me to their homes where I witnessed all the dysfunction that unfortunately was common amongst my students and their parents: lack of respect, communication, control and healthy relationships. From these experiences I realized that if I really wanted to make an effective, long term and practical and positive impact with my students, it would be through investing my time developing the personal growth of their parents, more than intervening in the lives of their children. The emphasis on parents as the best primary gang prevention strategy is becoming more and more prevalent amongst gang experts speaking around the country in the numerous gang conferences held each year. The role of parents is a fundamental safe community building block that we seem to leave out in our gang strategies. "Gang-responsive/specific individual and family services complement the demanding work done on the streets. Unfortunately, the majority of these services have been unresponsive to the specific needs and problems plaguing gang - involved youth and their families. Gang intervention work has too often been undermined by either the absence of or ineffectiveness Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 55 of these services. This committee is not recommending the continued funding of any existing social services that do not have specific methods, protocols, and procedures for servicing gang - involved youth. Rather, funds must be provided to those agencies that clearly demonstrate specific responsiveness to gang -involved youth and their families." — Los Angeles City Council's Ad Hoc Committee on Gang Violence and Youth Development (2008) In general what many communities offer is some type of meeting for parents where law enforcement educates them "about gangs." Parents are taught what signs to look for in their children, what graffiti is and what it means, gang colors and garb, which type of gangs and their names, etc. This information is helpful, but when the presentation about the "what" is over, parents want to know about the "how to's" in preventing or pulling their kids out of gangs. This is often answered with some good advice, but parents need more. They need skills and ongoing support and coaching by mentors to assist them in making progress on a daily on-going practical level. This is why I developed "Parents on a Mission" (POM)—to fill the need for more parent mentors focused on the problems that create rebellious youth, rather than on the problems that rebellious youth create. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 56 The difference between conventional parenting classes and parent leadership is the difference between focusing on teaching parents how to fix their children – versus teaching parents how to first fix themselves. This perspective takes parent involvement in gang prevention to a whole new level. Parent Leadership classes give parents a sense of empowerment along with specific skills to know that they are in control of their family and can raise children even in a gang infested environment with the hope their kids will ultimately choose loyalty to family over loyalty to a gang. Parents are the key to safe communities We all want to live in a safe community. I suggest that the best place to promote a vision for a safe community is in the home first. I contend that safe communities are the result of good parenting that provides the leadership and role modeling at home of what it means to be a good citizen that contributes positively to their community. We have had a forty – plus year plethora of well intentioned promoted public programs, parks, pools, Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 57 and playgrounds. But without the necessary parent leadership in the home, the results speak for themselves. Moreover, the same principle applies to our schools. Today it is popular to blame poor administration and teachers for the poor performance in our public schools across the board. But I reiterate: parent leadership is a key component that is overlooked as a solution that gets at the root of the problem, and consequently produces good citizenship in the home, which shows up in the classroom and allows teachers to spend more time educating than disciplining. (Learn more about Parents on a Mission: www.richardrramos.com) 10. How should school administrators address gangs and gang members on campus? It is no surprise to anyone with experience in these issues that it's all about relationship. I offer the following key points to teachers and school administrators for dealing with campus gang members: • Cultivate the vision, compassion, flexibility and fairness it requires to publically treat these students with respect. Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 58 • Approach them like you would any other student, talk to them, joke with them, and simply treat them as welcomed people on your campus. * Provide "gang -banger in the classroom" teacher training. This is not a fool proof, silver bullet solution for every problem schools will encounter. And, of course, the time will come when schoolteachers and administrators have to deal with excessive wrong behavior. But making a sincere effort to establish some type of positive relationship goes a long way in gaining cooperation from gang members. Example of Gang Banger in The Classroom Training A good principle for teachers to follow and remember in dealing with disrespectful and defiant gang members is "discipline without relationship breeds rebellion." Below is a personal example I've used to illustrate this principle: "...whenever possible (and it is not always possible) 1 never would "front MT" (emb ass) a gang member publieally for bad behavior because 1 understood how important it was for them to save face in front of their peers/homies. This type of role modeling requires Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved 59 emotional maturity, but it can potentially set up a situation where one can deal with their bad behavior privately later. The leverage here is they know when they have done wrong and they acknowledge (though not verbally) that your actions allowed them to save face. This puts them in your debt (they never forget a favor) and they always want to pay that off in one way or another. Thus, I use my leverage to take them aside privately and emphasize that they now "owe me" and I will be calling that chit in at a later time. This takes patience, professionalism, and discernment on the part of the teacher but it can often pay dividends later in your time of needed cooperation." With proper training like this (which most prospective teachers will not find or receive in college courses) teachers can be equipped to better handle the particular challenges they face with "gang -bangers" in the classroom. Not all teachers will comply and not all gang members will respond, but it does make for a better environment and more potential positive results with these types of high-risk youth. Thus, it is possible to gain cooperation from gang members on campus if the administration and faculty are willing and pro- active. Of course, suspensions, and expelling will happen, but hopefully not at the rate that continues to fill our alternative schools that unfortunately can't really provide a quality education. Suspension and Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 60 expelling are often the easy way out and only serves to perpetuate the problem and not improve it. 11. Can a community ever get rid of gangs? No. Gangs are a symptom of larger social issues America has been dealing with for decades. As Malcolm Klein says: "...long-term successful gang control will not be achieved by intervention with youth, but by intervention with the nature of gang -spawning communities." — Klein/Maxson What is meant by "the nature of gang -spawning communities"? Here is a summary: • Where there is poverty — there will be gangs. • Where there are drugs — there will be gangs. • Where there is racism — there will be gangs. • Where there is media glorification of gangs — there will be more gang spawning. • Where the gap continues to widen between those in power and those on the margins of society — there will be gangs. • Where there are broken families — and/or lack of parent supervision and leadership — there will be gangs. Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 61 As I said earlier, a problem is something I can resolve. A fact of life is something I have to learn to live with. Because our society has been unable to win the war on poverty, drugs and other social issues such as racism, broken families, etc., gangs will remain a fact of life communities will have to learn to live with. Having said that, does that mean there is no hope and that we should give up? Never! Just because we have never been able to rid our gardens and green lawns from the fact of weeds, does not mean we just give in to them and allow them to overtake our yards. Rather we deal with weeds on a consistent basis knowing they are something that will always be there, yet something we can stay on top of and bring under a measureable control. This is the way communities should look at dealing with gangs they are a "fact of life." Therefore, I suggest community leaders to adopt the long-te patience and mentality of the "farmer." Every furrier knows seed and harvest time is an ongoing cycle that never stops. Each season might be different and various natural disasters and other Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 62 environmental circumstances will arise. Nevertheless, for the most part, the harvest comes, the harvest goes and the fields must be worked again and again. No farmer expects a harvest overnight or for the harvest to come automatically. They know they only have so much time to plow, plant, and cultivate if they expect to reap a fruitful harvest in due season. Harvest time: I have seen small towns get the gang issue to the point where the violence and incidents are brought down to a minimum. Currently some large metropolitan areas have declared a decrease in gang related crime and violence. Plowing & planting time: But what often happens over time (due to the spawning elements mentioned above) the "weeds" grow back and the specific tools for "working the fields" are needed again and again, season after season. It is this mind -set I suggest community leaders need to adopt in order to avoid the fallacy of the "declaring war on gangs" thinking and thereby investing resources that could be better used for other more effective ways of "working on the farm." Copyright 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, 63 12. A Powerful Solution Formula: Community Farmers + Home Gardeners Thus, as community stakeholders take their place on the community farm: some can invest finances, some can lend in-kind resources, others are out in the streets (fields), and still others are waging spiritual warfare. Simultaneously, the effort to control the community fields from being overcame with weeds is taken up by individual trained and skilled gardeners in each neighborhood— Parents. This is why I insist that parents not police, progrs, pastor's, pools, playgrounds or prisons are the number one assets in the community. Every era. has those extraordinary, men and woman who have risen to the challenges of their time. It is my contention that the extraordinary men and woman of our time who must rise up to take on the complex challenges of this time, more than any other single entity, institution or community progr. , are parents. That's by I call them; "Parents on a Mission! Prevention is not a matter of keeping our children from ever being touched by any or every negative experience Copyright 0 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved, available in today's American culture. No, our challenge is not one of isolation but one of infiltration. Infiltrating the hearts and homes of the hopeless with parent heroes! As one minister put it, "What counts in life is not being a hero to a guy two thousand miles away, but being a hero to a kid who is nine years old two bedrooms away." (For more information visit: www.richardrramos.com) Copyright © 2018 The Ramos Group — All rights Reserved. 64 7th Annual GAN( PREVENTION & INTERVENTION CONFERENCE INTERVENTION Collaborative Approaches & Comprehensive Solutions to Violence May 7 & 89 2018 Carson Community Center Los Angeles, California CIO • NJT ION 4. IN l'iir virNI:c)K IN I 1-4V:f Nuo, PRE FNTioN INTERVENTION 38 PREVENTION & INTERVENTION CONFERENCE Dear Conference Participants, On behalf of the Conference Co -Chairs and Advisory Committee, we would like to welcome you to the 7th Annual Gang Prevention & Intervention Conference! The theme of this year's conference is collaborative approaches and comprehensive solutions to violence. We are excited to present to you a dynamic lineup of speakers, panel discussions, and breakout sessions. Over the next two days, you will meet a diverse group of practitioners from the cities and countries most impacted by gang -related violence and crime: Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles, New York, Providence, London, El Salvador, Honduras, British Columbia and others. These places have successfully responded to high rates of gang -related violence by forming effective partnerships and implementing synergistic multidisciplinary strategies. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity to build relationships and explore new partnerships. Each person brings a wealth of experience and expertise. We are pleased that you have joined us for what promises to be an amazing conference. Thank you for the work that you do. Sincerely, Conference Co -Chairs Paul Carrillo Conference Advisory Committee Michael Areyan, Southern California Crossroads Shari Farmer, L.A. County D.A.'s Office - Victim Services Kelly Fischer, LAC -DPH Jewel Forbes, LACOE Daniel Healy, LAC -DPH Antonio Iskandar, DAI Khaalid Muttaqi, City of Sacramento Crystal Watson, Latino Coalition DAI oR ' Tchaka Shep - z, MD Mark Olvera, LAPD (Retired) Fernando Rejon, Urban Peace Institute Enrique Roig, Creative Associates International, Inc. Antoinette Solos, Harbor UCLA Medical Center Erroll Southers, USC - Price Safe Communities institute Renee Smith, M.D., St. Francis Medical Center Denise Villamil, Alma Family Services Reginald Zachery, L.A. City GRYD PRESENTING SPONSORS USAID FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE rAriVik CREATIVE COMMUNITY SPONSORS GANG REDUCTION & 'r<.)ti'I I.I nEv±WPM ENT L.A. Care L A Ti -O i rV HEALTH P L A N. Cj ^•• rc• 1 i • •^^ •' f. THE CALIFORNIA Wellness FOUNDATION promoting eqw N, adwcacv and ares We would like to recognize and acknowledge the Presenting and Community Sponsors of the 2018 Gang Violence Prevention & Intervention Conference. Our ongoing efforts to convene experts to address gang and community violence around the world would not be possible without their generous support. 2 39 DAY 1 AGENDA: MAY 7, 2018 8:00 am Registration and Breakfast 9:00 am Welcome by Conference Co -Chairs, Paul Carrillo and Dr. Tchaka Shepherd 9:30am Opening Remarks by Jeremy Biddle, USAID/CARSI 9:45am Morning Keynote by David Kennedy, John Jay College-NNSC 10:20am Break 10:30am Breakout Session 1 Track 1: Peace Track 2: Motivation Track 3: Resilience Track 4: Forgiveness Track 5: Respect Track 6: Empathy International Room Room 206 Room 209 Room 107 Room 111 Community Hall CBT IN SCHOOL FOCUSED CRIME AND WORKING TOWARDS INNOVATIVE NON-PROFIT GANGS, VIOLENCE & SETTINGS VIOLENCE ZERO GANG APPROACH TO INFRASTRUCTURE ELECTIONS Gustavo Payan-DAI, PREVENTION HOMICIDES CORRELATE DATA & Richard Ramos, Jeff Fischer -Creative, Katharine Andrade- (Spanish/espanol) PJ Fox-ISPN, Teny PRACTICE Crystal Watson -Latino Jeffrey Carlson- Eekhoff-CRS, Maritza Trejo-Glasswing Indira Villegas-USAID, Francisco Almanza Gross -INC, Captain Dean Isabella, Major Molly Kraus-CSULA, Andrae Brown- Coalition, Elsa Monte- Pacific Western Bank, Creative, Carlos Rosales -USAID, International, Jane Aguayo-Chemonics Oscar Perez - Consultant, Carlos De Yves Mombeleur Moderator Halladay-NCCTS International Providence Police Santiago-GRYD, Daveyon James - Chapter 2, Jose Beltran -EI Nido Noon 1:OOpm Lunch Breakout Session 2 Track 1: Peace Track 2: Motivation Track 3: Resilience Track 4: Forgiveness Track 5: Respect Track 6: Empathy International Room Room 206 Room 209 Room 107 Room 111 Community Hall RESILIENCE IN EXTREME ECOSYSTEMS Celina de Sola, Natalia Salcedo- Glasswing International HOW A LIFE CAN BE CHANGED THROUGH CONSISTENT INTERVENTION Rosario Dowling, Raquel Perez -Burning Bush Moments SURVIVING HOMICIDE: VIOLENCE, PREVENTION IN BALTIMORE Tara Reed Carlson- Schock Trauma, Erin Walton -UMMC A COMPARATIVE ANATOMY OF GANG SEX TRAFFICKING Opal Singleton -Million Kids LAUNCHING THE LONG BEACH JUSTICE LAB Tracy Colunga-City of Long Beach EVOLUTION OF THE SOLUTION David Kennedy - NNSC, Brent Peterkin- Project Longevity, Trisha Stein -Detroit PD 2:30pm "What's on Your Heart?" Networking Activity Facilitated by Mike Areyan 3:OOpm Afternoon Keynote by Chief Charlie Beck, LAPD 3:40pm "Violence Reduction - The Personal Side" Plenary Panel • Susan Lee, Chicago CRED • Georgina McDowell, Creative Associates International, Inc. • Dr. Stephany Powell, Journey Out • Anne Tremblay, Los Angeles Mayor's Office GRYD • Dr. Almaas Shaikh, Mission Hospital (Moderator) 4:40pm Closing Remarks by Guillermo Cespedes, Creative Associates International, Inc. 3 8:OOa m 9:OOam 9:30am 9:50am 10:20am 10:30am DAY 2 AGENDA: MAY40 8, 2018 Registration and Breakfast Welcome by Enrique Roig, Creative Associates International, Inc. Morning Keynote by Anne Tremblay, L.A. City GRYD Elevator Pitch Contest Break Breakout Session 3 Track 1: Peace Track 2: Motivation Track 3: Resilience Track 4: Forgiveness Track 5: Respect Track 6: Empathy International Room Room 206 Room 209 Room 107 Room 111 Community Hall BRIDGING THE GAP THE LIFESTYLE & HOW STATES CAN COMMUNITY SAFETY BUILDING TRUST THE ROLE OF BETWEEN POLICE & MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT GUN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN POLICE & EDUCATION IN COMMUNITY NEEDS OF GANG VIOLENCE Sgt. Stacey THE COMMUNITY ADDRESSING Sergeant Jag Khosa, Rubina Mudhar- Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit -British Columbia MEMBERS Iris Cruet -Rubio, SoCal Crossroads REDUCTION STRATEGIES Michael McLively- Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Vandersall, Sgt. Christian Zuniga, Lt. Gena Brooks -LAPD, Eric Lam -UPI, Moderator Vaughn Crandall- CPSC, Reygan Cunningham- Oakland Ceasefire, Captain Ersie Joyner- VIOLENCE Antonio Iskandar - DAI, Stefan Mascoll- Fairfax County Public Schools, Mariella (Spanish/espanol) Rodrigo Bolanos- Violence DPH Oakland PD, David Ruiz-Rodriguez- Commissioner League Collegiate Gerald Woodyard - Muhammad- USAID, Chris Layne - Otoniel Castillo Outfitters, Larissa LAPD, Kevin Orange- Community & Youth NCTSN Lemus, Sub- Brioso-Universidad APUU, Skipp Outreach Noon 1:OOpm Lunch Breakout Session 4 Track 1: Peace Track 2: Motivation Track 3: Resilience Track 4: Forgiveness Room 107 Track 5: Respect Room 111 Track 6: Empathy Community Hail International Room Room 206 Room 209 TRAUMA PREVENTION IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INNOVATIVE WHAT CAN WE LEARN SECOND CHANCES INCIDENT RESPONSE INITIATIVE OJJDP GANG MODEL APPROACH TO CRISIS FROM THE MURDER OFFENDER & PROACTIVE Kelly Fischer, Keith Anica Stieve, MANAGEMENT CAPITAL OF THE REHABILITATION PEACEBUILDING Baker, Aarti Harper- Mahogany Villars, K. Bain -696 Build WORLD? Rosa Anaya-CRS, Dr. Jeff Brantingham- Los Angeles County Vince Vaielua- Queensbridge (Spanish/espanol) Rodrigo Bolanos- UCLA, Commander DPH Center for Children & Commissioner League Collegiate Gerald Woodyard - Youth Justice Otoniel Castillo Outfitters, Larissa LAPD, Kevin Orange- Lemus, Sub- Brioso-Universidad APUU, Skipp Commissioner Lorenzo Adilio Pineda Centroamericana Townsend -2nd Call, Reginald Zachary - Reyes -Honduran GRYD National Police Erin Lane-INL 2:30pm "The Future of Violence Reduction" Plenary Panel • Rosa Anaya, Catholic Relief Services • Guillermo Cespedes, Creative Associates International, Inc. • Teny Gross, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago • Sergeant Jag Khosa, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit • Fernando Rejon, Urban Peace Institute (Moderator) 4:10pm Closing Keynote by Shanae Polk, 2nd Call 4 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS 5 41 CHIEF CHARLIE BECK was appointed Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department in November 2009. Chief Beck oversees the third largest police department in the United States, managing 10,000 sworn officers and 3,000 civilian employees, encompassing an area of 473 square miles, a population of approximately 3.8 million people, and an annual budget that exceeds one billion dollars. Having facilitated his predecessor's successful reengineering and reform effort, Chief Beck continues to evolve and refine those strategies to further the Department's ascendancy to the pinnacle of 21st Century Policing. Major components of this endeavor include the mitigation of crime, the reduction of gang violence, the containment of terrorism, and the continuation of the reforms that brought the Department into compliance with the Consent Decree. Chief Beck is renowned for his ability to forge traditional policing methods, community outreach programs, tempered with the input of diverse stakeholders to form enduring crime abatement programs. Chief Beck was appointed to the Los Angeles Police Department in March 1977 after serving two years with the Los Angeles Police Reserve Corps. In June 1984, he was promoted to Sergeant, to Lieutenant in April 1993, to Captain in July 1999, and Commander in April 2005. In August 2006, he achieved the rank of Deputy Chief, the same rank his father, a retired Los Angeles Police Officer, had attained. DAVID M. KENNEDY is the Director of the National Network for Safe Communities, a project of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. Professor Kennedy and the National Network support cities implementing strategic interventions to reduce violence, minimize arrest and incarceration, and strengthen relationships between law enforcement and communities. These interventions have been proven effective in a variety of settings by a Campbell Collaboration evaluation, and are currently being implemented in Chicago, New Orleans, Baltimore, Oakland, and many other cities nationwide. Professor Kennedy's work has won two Ford Foundation Innovations in Government awards, two Webber Seavey Awards from the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and the Herman Goldstein International Award for Problem -Oriented Policing. He was awarded the 2011 Hatfield Scholar Award for scholarship in the public interest. He helped develop the High Point Drug Market Intervention strategy; the Justice Department's Strategic Approaches to Community Safety Initiative; the Treasury Department's Youth Crime Gun Inter- diction Initiative; the Bureau of Justice Assistance's Drug Market Intervention Program; and the High Point Domestic Violence Intervention Program. SHANAE POLK is Program Director for 2nd Call, a community-based organization designed to save lives by reducing violence and assisting in the personal development of high risk individuals, proven offenders, ex -felons, parolees and others whom society disregards. Shanae Polk is also a Peacemaker, Mediator and Trainer with Prison of Peace, a non-profit organization providing enhanced conflict resolution skills to incarcerated populations and is also a licensed substance abuse counselor. Until early 2015, when she was released from prison, she was the lead trainer of Peacemaking at California Institution for Women. Through her advocacy on behalf of the formerly incarcerated, Ms. Polk provides guidance to other formerly incarcerated women as a life skills facilitator and works as a Case Manager at the Southern California Alcohol and Drug Program. Ms. Polk won the Audience Award at the 2017 Social Innovation Fast Pitch competition. ANNE C. TREMBLAY is an Assistant City Attorney for the City of Los Angeles and currently serves as the director of Mayor Eric Garcetti's Office of Gang Reduction & Youth Development (GRYD), a component of the Mayor's Office of Public Safety. The GRYD Office supports community-based gang prevention, intervention, violence interruption, and youth development services in 23 areas throughout the City. Anne began her career as a deputy district attorney in Orange County where she tried cases in the juvenile and superior courts. She joined the Office of the Los Angeles City Attorney in 2002 to work as a neighborhood prosecutor assigned to the Los Angeles Police Department's Newton Division in South Los Angeles. In this position, she worked with the police, city agencies, and area stakeholders on projects designed to improve the quality of life for area residents and increase community safety. Anne later supervised the City Attorney's Anti -Gang Section where she led the office's gang, graffiti, and gun violence reduction strategies. Anne was part of a team that created and administered the gang alternative sentencing program and the gang injunction removal process. Rosa Anaya Catholic Relief Services Mike Areyan Southern California Crossroads Jeremy Biddle USAID Paul Carrillo Southern California Crossroads St. Francis Medical Center Guillermo Cespedes Creative Associates International, Inc. Teny Gross Institute for Nonviolence Chicago Sergeant Jag Khosa Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit British Columbia 42 FEATURED SPEAKERS Susan Lee Chicago CRED (Creating Real Economic Destiny) Georgina McDowell Creative Associates International, Inc. Dr. Stephany Powell Journey Out Fernando Rejon Urban Peace Institute Enrique Roig Creative Associates International, Inc. Dr. Almaas Shaikh Mission Hospital Dr. Tchaka Shepherd St. Francis Medical Center 6 BREAKOUT SESSION 1: MAY 7, 2018 1 10:30AM-NOON CBT in School Seffings (Track f - International Room) This panel discussion will highlight the important role of behavior change interventions within the school setting, and their overall contributions to violence prevention and reduction, as well as the mitigating impact of gang control of schools. Participants will learn about specific methodologies, curricula, and delivery strategies developed for use in the U.S. and Central America. By using the case study of the USAID/Honduras "Securing Education" project, this interactive session will bring together presenters and participants to contribute to an analysis and set of recommendations for consideration as related to behavior -based school interventions. • Katharine Andrade-Eekhoff, Technical Adivsor for Youth Employment in Latin America, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) • Jane Holladay, National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) • Gustavo Payan, Senior Technical Advisor, USAID/Honduras Securing Education Project, DAl • Maritza Trejo, Education Manager, Glasswing International Focused Crime and Violence Prevention (Spanish/espariol) (Track 2 - Room 206) The Juntos Para la Violencia (JPV) Program, funded by the US Agency for International Development and implemented by Chemonics International, aims to build the capacity of local actors to tackle crime and violence. Chemonicspresentation will describe JPV's work in crime and violence prevention in Mexico, including implementing interventions with Cognitive Behavior Therapy components and establishing civic justice systems at the municipal level, and highlight the program's Youth Targeting Tool (YTT). The YTT contains three sections, each of which is composed of a series of variables used to conduct an analysis of risk faced by an individual. Finally, as mentioned above, the presentation will explain some of the work the JPV program is implementing at the local level, such as CBT interventions and working with civic justice to prevent violence. • Indira Villegas, USAID • Francisco Almanza Aguayo, At -risk Youth Specialist, Juntos para la Prevencion de Violencia (JPV) Program, Chemonics International Working Towards Zero Gang Homicides (Track 3 - Room 209) In 2016, the City of Providence, RI recorded the best possible number for any city in the US that has gangs: ZERO, as in ZERO gang related homicides. A collaborative effort to address the homicides began in 2001 with the inception of the partnership between Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence (ISPN) and the Providence Police Department (PPD). The panelists will talk about how the partnership developed for them personally and professionally over their careers in law enforcement and violence intervention. The panelists will also talk about the rocky beginnings and moments of sorrow that brought people together from different walks of life. Providence is small in comparison to other cities but has similar challenges with violence. To get to zero gang homicides, there must be a willingness to develop a relationship with all those in the Beloved Community. • Captain Dean Isabella - Community Relations Unit, Providence Police, Providence RI • Teny Gross - Executive Director, Institute for Nonviolence Chicago • PJ Fox, Executive Director, Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence (Moderator) • Major Oscar Perez - Providence Police, Providence, RI 7 43 Innovative Approach to Correlate Data & Practice (Track 4 - Room 107) The Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) addresses gang violence through a multi - pronged comprehensive strategy that utilizes community-based service provision in two areas: GRYD Prevention Services, for youth at high risk for joining gangs and their families; and GRYD Intervention Family Case Management Services (FCM), for gang - involved young adults and their families. This presentation will review the key findings from the 2017 evaluation report and introduce the connected work currently underway with GRYD service providers as part of a research -practice feedback loop to address early program drop out. • Jose Beltran, El Nido Family Services • Andrae Brown, PhD, LMFT, Heru Consulting, GRYD Training Consultant • Carlos De Santiago, City of Los Angeles Mayor's GRYD Office • Daveyon James, Chapter TWO • Molly Kraus, MPL, GRYD Research Director, California State University, Los Angeles Non-profit Infrastructure (Track 5 - Room 1 1 1) Many of the organizations addressing gang prevention - intervention are nonprofit organizations. In order to continue their vital community work they are in need of funding for both operations and programs. This workshop will address practical common areas of nonprofit infrastructure, funding, proposal writing and finance management non -profits face in striving to sustain their staff and programs. • Yves Mombeleur • Elsa Monte, CRA Officer, Pacific Western Bank • Crystal Watson, Latino Coalition • Richard Ramos, President -CEO, Latino Coalition (Moderator) Gangs, Violence, & Elections (Track 6- Community Hall) The gangs, violence, and elections panel will discuss the engagement of gang organizations in political campaign activities with the objective of employing violence and intimidation to influence election outcomes. These outcomes are influenced through voter suppression or voter coercion tactics, intended to either prevent voters from casting ballots or directing their voting selections to specific candidates or political parties. The discussion will frame working definitions of gangs and electoral violence in order to establish the parameters of the analysis. The analysis will include presenting typologies for relevant organizational models of gangs in political contexts, motives for politicians to engage gangs and gangs to engage politicians, and tactics employed to fulfill the political objectives of these motives. The discussion will provide a global overview of this phenomenon, but will focus on two case studies, those of El Salvador and Sierra Leone. The panel will conclude with a discussion of intervention strategies intended to mitigate the impact of gang violence on election outcomes, • Jeffrey Carlson, Director, Electoral Education and Integrity Practice Area, Creative Associates International, Inc. • Jeff Fischer, Senior Electoral Advisor, Electoral Education and Integrity Practice Area, Creative Associates International, Inc. • Carlos Rosales, USAID (Moderator) 44 BREAKOUT SESSION 2: MAY 7, 2018 1:00PM2:30PM Resilience in Extreme Ecosystems (Track 1 - international Room) El Salvador has the highest incidence of homicide in the world. The population that resides in communities with high crime rates is chronically exposed to risks and acute incidents of violence, which results in multiple levels of trauma. This panel will present the work being done in more than 30 public schools where Glasswing International is establishing a replicable and scalable community program of emotional health. The program responds to the high frequency of violent incidents experienced by students and their families which are not being addressed due to lack of knowledge and tools. From this presentation, participants will be able to discuss emerging strategies to mitigate and cope with trauma and learn to implement interventions for youth that are trauma informed and school based. • Celina de Sola, Co -Founder and VP, Glasswing International • Natalia Salcedo, Programs Director, Glasswing International How A Life Can Be Changed Through Consistent Intervention (Track 2 - Room 206) This presentation will provide an overview of the issues that youth face as they experience the juvenile justice system. Presenters will share how helping youth navigate their struggles through consistent intervention - including advocacy, mentoring, and transition support - can change their lives for the better. Conference attendees will learn how to offer direct and focused assistance to help redirect and guide youth into alternatives to violence and incarceration. • Rosario Dowling, Founder and Director, Burning Bush Moments • Raquel Perez - Ruiz, Advocacy Intern, Burning Bush Moments Surviving Homicide: Violence Prevention in Baltimore (Track 3 - Room 209) The R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center's Violence Prevention Program is an evidence -based case management program to prevent recidivism for violent injury, violent crime or incarceration following injury from a gunshot wound, stabbing, or assault. Many of the clients of the program have two underlying factors in common: connection to the Black Guerilla Family (most prominent gang in Baltimore) and a history of lead paint poisoning. These two factors will be discussed, and the program service model and outcomes will be presented. The design of a work -readiness initiative to employ clients at the hospital where they were treated will also be shared. • Tara Reed Carlson, MS, RN, Director of Community Outreach and External Affairs, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center • Erin Walton, MSW, LCSW-C, Clinical Supervisor, Violence Prevention Program, R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center at the University of Maryland Medical Center A Comparative Anatomy of Gang Sex Trafficking (Track 4 - Room 107) More than 80% of sex trafficking cases in Southern California have a gang nexus. This session will explore the differences and similarities of how gangs conduct sex trafficking activity. Some gangs prey on foreign nationals and specialize in smuggling and sex trafficking, some operate out of storefronts, some use sex trafficking for money laundering, some stay local and prey on foster and runaway youth, some specialize in multi -state recruiting and selling of victims, and some operate out of schools using teenage girls for recruiting. This session will explore case studies and do a comparative analysis of gang sex trafficking and what can be done to prevent it. • Opal Singleton, President/CEO, Million Kids; Training & Outreach Coordinator, RCAHT; Instructor, USC -Safe Communities Institute Launching the Long Beach Justice Lab (Track 5 - Room 1!) The City of Long Beach launched a first -of -its kind Justice Lab to provide new tools to first responders to divert residents from the criminal justice system into treatment and resources. The Justice Lab was developed through a partnership between the City's Innovation Team, the Police, Fire, Health, and Development Services Departments, and the City Prosecutor's Office. After analyzing over 100,000 offenses in Long Beach during a five-year period, the Innovation Team determined that 85% of repeat offenses were not serious crimes, but rather low-level misdemeanors. This presentation will discuss the eight initiatives the Justice Lab has designed to help breok the cycle of incarceration. • Tracy M. Colunga, MSW, Innovation Team Director, City of Long Beach Evolution of the Solution (Track 6 - Community Hall) The Group Violence Intervention (GVI) is designed to reduce street group -involved homicide and gun violence. Established by the National Network for Safe Communities' Director David Kennedy and colleagues in Boston during the 1990s, GVI has been widely implemented across the country. In this panel, David Kennedy will discuss the strategic design and implementation of GVI, its evolution since "Operation Ceasefire" in Boston, and its impact on communities (based on recent research). Attendees will learn about the impact that focused deterrence continues to have on reducing violence in communities, as well as ways that the field is changing and cities are innovating. Detroit's Director of Administrative Operations, Trisha Stein, will then describe the city's shooting reviews, an innovation in intelligence that consists of weekly meetings for operational law enforcement partners to discuss recent incidents of serious violence with a focus on immediate responses to those incidents. Ms. Stein will also share the challenges and successes of Detroit's incorporation of the community into their work. Brent Peterkin will close by sharing his efforts in project management, the building of governance structure to institutionalize and sustain the work, and advances in support and outreach throughout the state of Connecticut and beyond. • David Kennedy, Director, National Network for Safe Communities; New York, NY Brent Peterkin, Project Longevity Statewide Coordinator; Connecticut Trisha Stein, Director of Administrative Operations, Detroit Police Department; Detroit, MI 8 BREAKOUT SESSION 3: MAY 8, 2018 10:30AMNOON Bridging the Gap between Police & Community (Dock 1 - International Room) The training workshop will highlight how CFSEU-BC bridged the gap between police and the community to respond to the increase of gong violence in British Columbia, fracirrnation about the process including community capacity building, partnerships and utilization of media wik be shared As a result of these early efforts, CFSEU-SC initiated its Gang Intervention and Exiting Program. MO unique program staffs police officers and social workers r one team to provide Outreach and orme management services to those who are atask or already entrenched in gang activities, • Sergeant stag Khosa) Gang Intervention Officer, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit- British Columbia • Rubino Mudhar, Coordinator of Gang Exiting and Outreach Project Combined ForCeS Special Enforcement' Unit - British Columbia The Lifestyle and Mental Health Needs of Gang Members (Track 2 - Room 206) Violence and crime has a significant psychological impact this,' is often forgotten when working with individuals involved or affiliated with gangs. Violence, deprivation, and trauma exacerbate mental health problems and substance abuse resulting In an increase in violence greatly affecting families, communities and society. Until recently, the mental health needs of young people involved in gangs have been overlooked, Organizations like Southern California Crossroads focus on mitigating the longiterm citheical, Mental, and emotional trauma associated with violent crime by providing a multidisciplinary continuum of care that promotes healing and recovery by offering Mourns:tinfoil:Fled. cd based culturally humble, and effective services. • iris Cruet -Rubio, LMFT, Director of Trauma Recovery Center Services, Southern California Crossroads How States Can Support Gun Violence Reduction Strategies (Track 3 - Room 209) States can play an important role when it comes to supportirig and scaling -up effective violence reduction strategies, However, only o handful of states are currently doing so. When it comes to providing direct state -level dollars to support evidence -based violence reduction strategies,. forty-five states in America ore sitting on the sidelines, which presents a unique and important opportunity. This presentation Will cover findings from a major new report released by GB fords Law Center 11 1110 end of 2017 called Investing in Mtervention: The Critical Role of State -Level Support in Breaking the Cycle of Urban Gun Violence. • Michael McLiyely, Director of Urban Gun Violence initiative, Glffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence 9 45 Community Safety Partnership (Track 4 - Room 107) Community Safety Partnership is the first relationship -based policing project irnplemented by the Los Angeles Police Department, in collaboration with the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angefes MACLAI. to develop trust and legitimacy, officers are mandated to intentionally develop relationships with community members and seek out partnerships with community stokehoiriers to take a problem-soiying approach to community safety concerns rather than a suppressionsoniy approach, Since its 'inception, CSP hos resulted not only in more than a SO% reduction In ViOlent crime in the housing developments where the officers are deployed, but also arrests going down by WM Mom remarkably, irt places with alistory of contentious policeicavirhunity relations like Wolfs, ordinary citizens are telling visitors that they actually feel safer and know and trust the police officers who become a part or the community's day 10 day landscape, • Lt. Gena Brooks, LAPD • Sgt. Stacey Vandersall, LAPD • Sgt. Christian Zuniga, LAPD • Eric Lam, Urban Peace Institute (Moderator) Building Trust Between Community & Police (Track 5 - Room 111) The Oakland Ceasefire effort has been recognized for the remarkable reductions in violence, as web as the tumultuous political conditions under which those have been achieved. This project demonstrates that you can reduce violence in a city like Oakland, while shrinking the footprint of the justice system and building community trust. Presenters will share how Oakland's police -community -intervention partnership worked together to effectively reduce violence, how specific analysis and management practices changed Oakland's ability to reduce violence, without large changes in resources, and how performance management can help community organizers, agency managers and political leaders hold each other mutually accountable for reducing violence. Vaughn Crandall, Co -Director, California Partnership for Safe Communities • Reygan Cunningham, Director, Oakland Ceasefire Strategy • Captain Ersie Joyner, Commander of the Ceasefire Section, Oakland Police Department • David Muhammad, Executive Director, Community and Youth Outreach The Role of Education in Addressing Violence (Track 6 - Community Ha)) The role of schools and education systems is often under- represented in discussions regarding gang activities, particularly in areas in which garrgs play as dominant rote in the school structures,. such as in the case of Central America. Furthermore. given the finkages between gong activities In the U. arid Its southern neighbors, as greater understaridMg of the underlying social structures and interventions that have proven effective is critical to better address gang related violence in the hemisphere. Put simply, what takes place in Central Ar ca can have on impact an Central American immigrant communities in the LLD and vice-versa:2i the case of organized criminal groups, or example MS13 or Calle 18, gang structures, hierorchim, and activities de cross borders. • Antonio iskandar, Global Practice Leader Citizen Security, DAI • Chris Layne, National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) • Stefan Mascoll, Fairfax County Public Schools • Mariella Ruiz -Rodriguez, Director Education Office, USAID/Honduras 46 BREAKOUT SESSION 4: MAY 8, 2018 1:00PM-2:30PM Trauma Prevention Initiative (Track 1 - International Room) This presentation will provide an overview of TPI vision and strategies and highlight the importance of community partnership/leadership in identifying priorities and decision making, local capacity building, and cross -sector and cross - jurisdiction collaboration for systems change. Core initiative strategies will be highlighted, including Hospital Based Violence Intervention and Street Outreach and Community Violence intervention. Presenters will discuss why public health is investing in building infrastructure around intervention services in county unincorporated communities, as part of its strategy to prevent violence, in collaboration with community partners. • Kelly Fischer, Staff Analyst, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Injury & Violence Prevention Program • Keith Baker, TPI Co -Lead, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Injury & Violence Prevention Program • Aarti Harper, MPH, TPI Co -Lead, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, Injury & Violence Prevention Program Implementation of OJJDP Gang Model (Track 2 - Room 206) This workshop will give participants an overview of the groundbreaking regional implementation of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM) in King County, WA. Center for Children & Youth Justice (CCYJ) has led implementation of this model for six years, including convening stakeholders, maintaining a regional Steering Committee and ongoing coordination of service provision through facilitation of three geographically focused Multidisciplinary Intervention Teams (MDITs). This regional implementation has maintained fidelity to the CGM and has addressed a very mobile and vast gang violence issue in King County. Presenters will discuss strategies to mobilize community, maximize resources, build programming, sustain service provision through MDITs, and leverage financial and partner support. • Anica Stieve, Lead Project Manager, Center for Children & Youth Justice • Mahogany Villars, MSW, Project Manager, Center for Children & Youth Justice • Vince Vaielua, Project Coordinator, Center for Children & Youth Justice An Innovative Approach to Crisis Management (Track 3 - Room 209) This presentation will provide an overview 696 Queensbridge's unique approach to crisis management, which includes advocacy, 696s prioritization of at -risk youth and their mental and physical growth, and its work with community leaders. This work takes place in the Queensbridge Houses, the nation's largest housing development, located in Queens, New York. • K. Bain, Founder, Executive Director, 696 Build Queensbridge What We Can Learn from the Murder Capital of the World? (Spanishiespanol) (Track 4 - Room 107) We will discuss how an innovative approach to community policing, with a focus on building relationships between community members, has successfully combatted crime in Honduras. We will discuss the importance of relationship building, prevention, and smart policing especially in resource -scarce environments like Honduras. Using San Pedro Sula Honduras as the example, we will explore lessons learned from the once murder -capital of the world. Under the most difficult of circumstances in one of the most challenging places in the world, Honduran police and their community have achieved the improbable - reducing homicides and saving lives. The United States law enforcement community should take notice and learn from this experience to help repair out own community/police relationship. • Commissioner Otoniel Castillo Lemus, Honduran National Police • Sub -Commissioner Lorenzo Adilio Pineda Reyes, Honduran National Police • Erin Lane, U.S. Embassy Honduras International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Second Chances Offender Rehabilitation (Track 5- Room 111) Second Chances is a comprehensive and effective rehabilitation and reinsertion program that uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and that operates in collaboration with El Salvador's prison system. The program is a successful public/private partnership model that has had a positive impact on the criminal justice system. Second Chances' CBT and peacebuilding program is rigorously evaluated by a team of psychologists from Universidad Centroamericana "Jose Simeon Canas" (UCA) and was designed to meet the requirements of both employers and the criminal justice system. Second Chances addresses the severe over -crowding in El Salvador's prisons by effectively identifying inmates at low risk for violence and accelerating their early release processes. • Rosa Anaya, Project Coordinator, Second Chances, Catholic Relief Services/EI Salvador (CRS) • Rodrigo Bolanos, General Manager, League Collegiate Outfitters • Larissa Brioso, Profesor, Universidad Centroamericana "Jose Simeon Canas" Incident Response & Proactive Peacebuilding (Track 6 - Community Room) The City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) oversees a Comprehensive Strategy intended to address gang violence in a coordinated way throughout the city. One aspect of this strategy is GRYD's violence interruption effort, known as GRYD Intervention Incident Response (IR). This session will present an overview of GRYD Intervention Incident Response both related to an analysis of gang crime in Los Angeles and the impact of the GRYD IR protocol on disrupting retaliation by mediating conflict following gang shootings and homicides. Further, the session will provide an in-depth look at how GRYD's Incident Response work is conducted through the observations of community partners including LAPD and GRYD contracted agencies. The workshop will also highlight the effective partnership development and working relationship between the community, GRYD and community intervention workers (CIWs). Not only are community intervention workers involved in responding to incidents of crime within the community they are also engaged in coordinated peace keeping activities that also assist in the deterrence of crime within the community. The workshop will highlight what these activities are and how they add to the comprehensive strategy developed to reduce community tension and crime. • Dr. Jeff Brantingham, PhD, University of California Los Angeles • Commander Gerald Woodyard, Los Angeles Police Department - South Bureau • Kevin Orange, Community Intervention Worker, APUU • Skipp Townsend, Community Intervention Worker, 2nd Call • Reginald Zachery, City of Los Angeles, Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (Moderator) 10 • ON BEHALF OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WE PROMOTE AND DEMONSTRATE DEMOCRATIC VALUES ABROAD, AND ADVANCE A FREE, PEACEFUL, AND PROSPEROUS WORLD. IN SUPPORT OF AMERICA'S FOREIGN POLICY, THE U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEADS THE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND DISASTER ASSISTANCE THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS AND INVESTMENTS THAT SAVE LIVES, REDUCE POVERTY, STRENGTHEN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE, AND HELP PEOPLE EMERGE FROM HUMANITARIAN CRISES AND PROGRESS BEYOND ASSISTANCE. USAID FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE Building resilient youth, families and communities www.CreativeAssociateslnternational.com nIrt GANG REDUCTION & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT 49 Mayor's Office of Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) New website coming soon: www.lagryd.orq (213) 473-7796 �..1i,. DA1 is a global development company helping clients around the world— I; including donor institutions and governments throughout the Northern Triangle—to establish, strengthen, and protect a democratic civic order that eliminates threats of violence, allows for peaceful coexistence, and protects individual and collective rights. '1 In partnership with government, civil society, and the private sector, we deliver multi -sectoral solutions that address drivers of crime and violence and strengthen justice and security 44411"1k institutions to make communities safer and more resilient. 13 50 LA TiNO FOR COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP Strengthening Leading Transforming Latino Coalition for Community Leadership Intermediary Services Find: We seek out grassroots faith and community-based organizations serving low-income youth and families. Fund: We seek funding to provide funding. As an intermediary organization, we are in a position to access Federal, State, Philanthropic and Corporate funds, which we then re -grant to our sub -grantee partners to enhance and expand their services. Form: We provide technical assistance, training, and capacity building. Following the leadership principle: "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime", all our sub -grantees are empowered in all aspects of organizational development for long-term sustainability. Feature: Giving "voice to vision" is an important theme we strive for in our service to our sub -grantees. We do this by helping them tell their stories on a larger platform to expose them to their community stakeholders, as well as funders at the Federal and State level. Iatinocoalition.org GAh PREVENTION & INTERVENTION 'ON i ERLi C E If you are interested in presenting at next year's conference, please contact: staff@gangconference.org or visit: gangconference.org 14 51 7th Annual GANG PREVENTION & INTERVENTION CONFERENCE PRESENTING SPONSORS Eus) USAI D FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE DAI gew CREATIVE COMMUNITY SPONSORS rob it GANG REDUCTION & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ATINO 1st Floor Room 111 )0„ • (914cTHE CALIFORNIAness Well FOUNDATION prornourg aqui%advocacy ane acc® • L.A. Care HEALTH PLAN., Room 107 3 International Room Community Hall .. _-gyp 801 East Carson Street Carson CA, 90745 2nd Floor Room 209 Room 206 r 23 52 L LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION b CHANGE Group Violence Prevention 6 intervention in King County VISION To have thriving, safe and healthy communities where young people exercise self-determination free from the duress of the cycle of violence. MISSION To ignite systems change to strengthen communities by building safe, healthy, positive pathways for young people through youth empowerment, collaborative community partnerships, and the mobilization of community stakeholders. Leadershi Steering Cs ,1 tee Key Stakeholders Strategic Partnerships [INC Intervention Teams Collaborative Community Mobilization Evaluate Impact Change Pofrcy an and Improvemen Better Systems, Better Lives center for CHILDREN & YOUTH JUSTICE 1 Berra systems. Better lives. 53 MUMS ^ LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION & CHANGE Group Vlolence Prevention &mmmerwenmion In King County Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Comprehensive Gang Model MODEL OVERVIEW In 1987, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), a division of the U.S. Department of Justice, began designing a comprehensive approach to reduce and prevent youth gang violence. This effort resulted in the development and adoption o the OJJDP Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM). This model is now uaedaaanu1ionu|beotpraotioeh>rgano/oroupvio|enneintemenhonandpnevenhontroughout many communities in the United States. The CGM assumes that many factors contribute to gang/group involvemen t and violence. These include: poverty, lack ot education and opportunity,socio-economic and geographic statu a.fmmi|yhiohoriea of violence and trauma, and drug and alcohol use. The CGM posits that successful reduction in gang/group violence must be based on a theoretical understanding of gangs, as well as monitored data collection and evaluation of many different types and scales of interventions. The CGM includes five key strategies to address gang/group-involved youth and families. Communities committed 10 implementing the CGM are encouraged to use a combination of all five strategies in order to achieve a comprehensive, sustainable result. Each strategy is briefly outlined below. In addition to these strategies, the CGM encourages communhties use both policy change and coordinated direct service provision to create multidisciplinary partnerships and leverage existing programs and resources to better serve the affected population, FIVE CORE STRATEGIES U' COMMUNITY MOBILIZATION Community mobilization is the acof mobilizing members of a communhty around an issue. This CGM strategy requires participation of agencies and organizations that work with young people, grassroots and cultural community groups, community members, parents, and youth. In order to begin this process, the model recommends that participating communities form a steering committee. This group is comprised of key organizational and community leaders representative of the larger population. The steering committee serves as the governing body of the project, and works to define the gang problem, develop a plan to address the problem, and implement the project. The steering committee and project partners should develop and implement a community mobilization strategy specific to the project region. UU' OPPORTUNITIES PROVISION Geng/grnup'invo|vedyouth and families need viable opportunities aoapositive alternative 1oganQ/oroup involvement and associated violence. plans and strategies to provide education, training, and job opportunities. These strategies are to be integrated with existing social service activities such as mental health or substance abuse counseling. Community agencies and grassroots organizations play a key role in providing services such as tutoring, mentoring, apprenticeships, and job development and placement. III. SOCIAL INTERVENTION "l"" /^' CHILDREN YOUTH 54 The CGM conducts social intervention through implementation of a multidisciplinary intervention team (MDIT). The K8D|Tworks Vuprovide coordinated nen�cedm|�mryVogeng/group'invohodyouth and families. Community oQanciea.Law enforcement, service providers, school representatives, probation a1a#and others are active participants in this team approach. The Team works together to leverage existing agency resources and provide or refer clients to services such as such as tutoring and credit retrieval, internships and job placement, drug and alcohol counseling, and extracurricular activities such as arts workshops and sports. The CGM brings many youth -serving organizations together in a regularly -scheduled MDIT meeting. Team members review and enroll new referrals, create coordinated case management plans and ensures that clients benefit from an organized and well-documented network of coordinated services. Street Outreach staff are key members of the Intervention Team. Outreach workers connect face to face with young people and function as a liaison between clients and team members. The outreach staff's role is to identify a client's needs and goa|o, provide mentorship, coordinate crisis responses to vio|enoe, assist the family in meeting basic needs and addressing conflict, and participate in team based case management provided by the intervention team. The main goal of Street Outreach staff is to advocate for clients and help them progress toward meeting their goals. IV. SUPPRESSION In the context of the CGM, suppression closely resembles community policing, and includes formal and informal methods across all pject partners. Law enforcement works collabora|ywdhtheK80T1ooddreamaafmtv concerns and collect data on gang related incidents consistently. Local law enforcement is also involved in ongoing gang/group crime data collection and analysis, joint police and community activities and continuing professional development. V. ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE AND DEVELOPMENT Organizational change and development requires that policies and practices of key organizations, especially those represented on the Intervention Team and Steering Committee, conform to the goals and objectives of the CGM. Developing and adapting policies and practices to become more inclusive and community -oriented ensures the optimal use of agency resources. Key organization change and development strategies include legislative change, re-entry policy reform, uniform data collection across agencies and increased collaboration and resource sharing. IMPLEMENTATION In order to successfully implement the CGM, the community must acknowledge and commit to addressing an existing gang issue. Next a lead agency is chosen and a Steering Committee comprised of elected officials, policy makers, school superintendents, community leaders, service agency directors and Law Enforcement leaders is convened. The Steering Committee serves as the governing body for the project and guides all project activities and policy decisions. In the initial stage of implementation the lead agency or research partner will conduct a thorough assessment to understand the nature and scope of the current issues faced by the community. Based on the key findings of the community assessment, the Steering Committee and other representatives will develop a comprehensive plan that incorporates all five strategies of the model to address the problem. The Intervention Team is a key component of this comprehensive plan, and supplements the policy initiatives of the model with the provision of targeted direct service to gang -involved youth and families. In order to evaluate success and inform future project efforts, the community must cd i of model implementation and outcome data. For further information please visit unciFoo orcontact AnicaSheve. Lead Project Manager at -~~~^ o=.v, /", CHILDREN &YOUTH • • L +I II � LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION 6 CHANGE Group Violence Prevention & Intervention in King County 55 Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Comprehensive Gang Model Acknowledge Problems Problems Assesment Objectives 8 0utconies Processes Mix of Five Strategies 1. Organizational Change & Development 2. Community Mobilization 3. Social Intervention 4. Opportunities Provision 5_ Supression • Focus Organizations/ Institutions Community Youth Family Sroup V1olence center for CHILDREN & YOUTH JUSTICE I Better systems. Better lives Ongoing Activities • Staff • Training/Dvelopment • Data Collection • Information Sharing Evaluate Impact MUMS LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION &CHANGs Group w"wncePrevention mIntervention * King County LINC MULTIDISCIPLINARY INTERVENTION TEAMS (MDIT) OVERVIEW 56 The LING Intervention Teams are a core component of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM). FacUitated by Center for Children & Youth Justice (CCYJ) on behalf of LING: Leadership, Intervention & Change Steering Committee, the L1y4C Intervention Teams are composed of representatives from partner agencies including service providers, law enforcement, probation, employment, outreach and others as applicable. LINC increases effective and efficient use of resources, reduces duplication of services, increases access to needed services and strengthens cross system collaboration. LINC process, goals and function adhere to the requirements of the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Comprehensive Gang Model (CGM). The prj8ct'aSteeringConnnnitteeoxgr88eGL|NGprOCes8@DdfunoUon. LING creates a mechanism through which to coordinate existing community programs that serve shared clients; to this end, the team works together to provide provide coordinated se,vices and team based case management to young people, as well as identify additional prevention and inteivention activities needed in the community LINC • Create inUividu@|izeU, case specific intervention plans with goals for each young person • Engage ganglgroup-involved youth and young adults in direct services to address their specific needs and achieve their goals Work together to dismantle or surmount barriers to service access and success LINC Goals: Lonq Term • Improve coordination and effectiveness of agencies serving gang/group-involved and at -risk clients • Leverage existing resources to better serve gang/group/violence-involved and at -risk clients • Reduce gang/group-related activity and violence in the community • Support implementation of a combination of CGM strategies throughout the community • Create systemic and community -wide change to reduce overall gang/group involvement and improve outcomes for youth and families Team Membership The Steering Committee identifies appropriate agencies involved in serving the target population and whose staff should participate in LINC. LINC member agencies indudo, but are not limited to: • Education/Schools • Law Enforcement � Faith Groups • Probation/Parole • Social Service Agencies • Community Based Organizations • Street Outreach Staff � Employment Programs ��161..611mN 84 YOUTH 57 MUMS. LEADERSHIP, INTERVENTION &CHANGE Group Violence Prevention & Intervention In King County LINC lntervention Team Clients The LINC lntervention Team provides coordinated services to: • Clients ages 14-24 • Clients who self -identify as gang/group-involved • Clients who are identified as gang/group-involved by LINC team members, including Street Outreach • Clients at high risk for violence, Juvenile/Criminal Justice 8Dd/Org3Dg/o[Oup involvement LINC Teams LINC is comprised of three intervention teams serving three specific areas across King County. LINC includes: • Youth LINC o 8en/ingyoun0peop|8andfomi|iaSintheHixhling,Rentonand Tukwila School Districts • Youth LINC o Serving young people and families in the Auburn, Federal Way and Kent School Districts • Seattle LINC o Serving young people and families in South Seattle Referral Process LINC accepts referrals from the following sources: * LINC Team members and member agencies • Juvenile Probation/Court staif � Street Outreach Workers • Law Enforcement • School Staff � Other Community Agencies New LINC referrals be submitted to YouthLINCccyj.ora or Please contact us at this address to make a referral/receive a referral form or additional information. Participation in Services LINC is a completely voluntary program. Each LINC Client must sign a participant consent form and release of information prior to enrollment in services. Outreach workers bring each young person's voice to the process; service plans are individualized and informed by relationships built with young people upon LINC enrollment. LINC Procedure Teams meet weekly with consistent attendance from 15-20 Depending on nee include, but ar.. Case rnarsagerrie Street Outreach Interyeri, Substance Abuse Treatrriett Pro -Social Activities/suippords, Educational Services O GED • High School Completion support Employment Services • Job Readiness Training Programs O Job Placement Legal Services/Advocacy providers representing cross sector agencies Facilitated by CCYJ, weekly meetings are used to: • Review and accept referrals • Establish initial lntervention Plans through consensus decision making • Review client intervention plan goals and client progress • Collect data and track client outcomes • Provide regular progress updates to project Steering Committee Functional Family Therapy (FFT) Behavioral Health Services Family Support/Housing Resources Safety Planning 58 LOS ANGELES GANG PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION CONFERENCE 2018 1111111111IIIIl11IIIIIIN/IIII/IIIIIIA//IlIllI111111111II1111IIIIIIIlll11I1111IIIII THE OAKLAND GUN VIOLENCE REDUCTION STRATEGY (ALSO KNOWN AS) CsE1Irn 0 • _ D Introductions IIII11111II1111111IIl1IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1111I1III1I1l11111111Ill11'II11IIIIII/11111/11 1. Reygan Cunningham, Director of Oakland Ceasefire 2. Captain Ersie Joyner, Commander of Ceasefire Section, Oakland Police Department 3. David Muhammad, Executive Director of Community and Youth Outreach, National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform 4. Vaughn Crandall, Co -Director, California Partnership for Safe Communities 1 59 1111111111111111111111881111111811111111111111.11111111111111111111111111111111111111 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field Oakland's Challenging History of Violence 1111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111118111111111111811 1. Oakland' s problem with violence has stubbornly resisted the national downtrend (prior to 2013). 2. Since 1985. Oakland' s murder rate is 4-6 times the national rate. Top 10 most dangerous cities in the country and the most dangerous in California. 3. From 2005-2012, despite a large local investment in violence prevention services and police resources (Measure Y), murders in Oakland increased by 37% while the national rate went down by -16%. 4. Prior to 2012, over the past 40+ years, Oakland has only had one period with consecutive years of fewer than 90 homicides. 5. Like many Bay Area cities, Oakland is undergoing rapid demographic, economic and community changes -- -+D „„Lept-zu-,N r>Ikicck,(; 2 60 180 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Oakland Homicides: 1985-2016 ►►r►111►►►►►►1111►►►►►► n11►►►1►►1111111►►11►►►►11►►►►►►►►1►►►111111►►►►►►►1111111►►► 129 12 146 149 165 154 145 120 108 109 115 04 104 127 1985 1986 1987 1958 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 30 year average 83 85 Ceasefire Intervention Begins 2 2013 2014 2015 2016 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Murder Rate per 100,000: Oakland v. California ►►►►111►►►1►1111►11►11►11►1► u1►►111111►11111111111111111111111111111►►1►11,11►►►1►►1 26.78 36.4 31.8 —e—Oakland Calltornla —e—Untled States 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 3 61 (1, r.. Oakland's Very Difficult History of Police -Community Relations 111111111/11/111111 1111111111111111111111 1111111/111/111111111111111/1111 111111111 • Long history of police brutality towards communities of color. Birth place of the Black Panther Party, which was in part a direct response to police violence. • Oakland Riders case in late 1990s (corruption and brutality) resulted in Negotiated Settlement agreement still in place today (14 years). • In 2004, four OPD officers are murdered in the same day/incident by a parolee at large. In some circles he is celebrated as a resistance fighter. • 2016, Sex Scandal involving OPD and other Bay Area officers involvement with an underage sex worker. Occurs in context of national discussion on police reform. • Severe political and civic crisis are frequent and ongoing - true of many cities with chronic violence problems. Creates unique challenges. owl s )C�,,,,}+, 171'( VV,,.f V.'Y Oakland's Failed Attempts to Reduce Violence IIIIIIIIIlllllllll11II11111111I111►I11I111111IIIIIIlll11111I11111111I1I1II1I1/1111111 Oakland had previously made numerous attempts to reduce this chronic violence problem • Youth Curfew 0A,D VI 6)-^i ci v � c�h,s/5 %SS re -vim ,�,,, ��� _ / i • Gang Injunction w/ I,a hka-„,,,n„ • Large service and outreach investments (Measure Y, private investments) (vac.' • Poorly designed/managed attempts at "Ceasefire” in 2006, 2009 • Numerous waves of aggressive, "zero tolerance" area -based enforcement These efforts were not informed by a thorough analysis/understanding of the problem; were poorly managed; did not constitute an effective citywide strategy. 4 62 II1818111IIIIIIIIIlIIllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field Development of Oakland Strategy IllllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIlllllllllllll111lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll/llllllllllllllll • Oakland Communities Organizing (OCO) renewed organizing campaign re Ceasefire • Emerging alignment of then Chief of Police Howard Jordan, Mayor Jean Quan with OCO campaign • Reducing violence can be consistent with building community trust • Engage with California Partnership for Safe Communities (CPSC) • Experienced TA provider, first step was to conduct problem analysis • Working partnership forms between Oakland PD, OCO, CPSC, Human Services Division, Mayor's Office 5 Oakland Ceasefire Goals 1. Reduce shootings and homicides citywide. 2. Decrease recidivism and improve outcomes for those at highest risk of violence. 63 3. Strengthen police -community relations and trust. THE "TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE" - GOALS AND A UNIFYING SET OF VALUES. Problem Analysis Insights and Implications 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 What the public and policy makers thought: violence primarily driven by juveniles, drugs and economic motives. What the analysis revealed: • Homicide primarily driven by specific running group/gang conflicts and personal disputes between group members. • Those at very highest risk primarily group -involved adult men of color (the average age is 30), • With heavy justice system involvement (averaging 12 prior arrests at the time of homicide, 7 for felonies) and social connections to actively violent street groups • Only 10% of homicide involved juveniles, only 13% of homicides had any connection to drugs. 6 J e g -Ft rte•) tx{ r-t!'tw tcA? 1).,a cam% �61,1C (oho 1. �, s cnc c S ail p `, Central and EasiOakland Groups, Primarily Black Group G (West Oakland) tirdup 8 Rag Qakinip8 'primarily Asian groups Group Associations change frequently Legend - predictable conflict �—� - predictable alliance F > = unpredictable alliance 6 wr : )L& �.�ti ��Let, f LC0 sf,e�:� „ 1 bn Lct c4,,,,e7 11,ii n eee)s �tcs pis - ;n vca obi.) .ven Ic7i� �rac esS a ,oti����l L:�z2 Group Member Involved Homicides, Citywide, Groups with 3 or More Incidents, Jan 2012 - June 2013 Irlruu11 t1111iruirrxuuIIIIIIIIIIII,IIIIIlIIM111iiuuuuuuuugnuuuuui Group G Group H Group C/Group H Alliance Group C Group A Group E Norteno - All Sets* Nortefio 1 Nortefio 7 Border Brothers -All Sets* Border Brother 2 Group FF Group EE Group S Group K Group I Group D Group HH Group BB Other City Group 2/3 Other City Groups 4 Specific Group Unknown Victim WW Suspect 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 7 sk_cQ 0 ill How Does This Actually Work? I1111111111,11I1II1011111IIII111/111,11111111111IIIIII11111IIIII1111111111I,I11II1111 Typically conducted by OPD, Community Partners, USAO, DA, service providers, faith leaders, victims of violence Typically involves crime analysis, OPD, and other law enforcement partners 1 Ongoing Analysis Data & Intel Shooting Reviews re.- l 2 Direct Communication (Call -Ins, Custom Notifications: Goals Reduce: rivk:. Cornm��niir� lru_t 4 Law Enforcement follow through (on acItvely Aien1 peopi 3 Services & Support pnleresled Diiecl Cammunlcallon parlic ponlsl Oakland Unite Service Providers and Case Managers p OPD Ceasefire Unit t„n bey:,• i 9 and other units/ agencies as necessary tw _ , 50..Y14 Strategy Design IIIIIIIIIl11II11I111111111111111111I1IIIIIIII111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII The working partners combined problem analysis findings with research and best practice from the following bodies of work: • Focused deterrence/group violence intervention (goal 1) • Reentry, outreach and violence intervention (goal 1 b 2) • Procedural justice and legitimacy (goal 3) • Performance management (all) • Keeps diverse stakeholders focused on a shared strategy 65 8 66 Oakland Ceasefire Performance Management: Overview 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111.11111111 1. Shooting Reviews - identify VHR people, hottest conflicts, enforcement priorities. 2. Coordination Meetings - HSD, OPD, community partners develop near term strategy for these particular people and conflicts - mobilizes life coaches, outreach, crisis response staff and contractors 3. Performance Review Meetings - Partners review citywide shootings trends; direct communication; service uptake and caseload; relative to annual and two-month benchmarks 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field 9 67 Oakland PD Shooting Reviews (Weekly) IIIIIIlIl11111II1I11111111111111IIII/111IIIIl1IJII111111111/111111111111111I111111if • Examines all fatal. non-fatal and non -injury shootings in Oakland. Convened by Chief: run by Ceasefire commander; attended by broad cross-section of key staff, enforcement partners, CPSC. • Goals/Agenda: 1. Review Prior Deliverables (often info gathering) 2. Review All Shootings: Understand current violence dynamic - what people and networks are at greatest risk of violence in the near term 3. Develop or refine near-term strategy to reduce future shootings - mobilize range of justice system, outreach/support and community partners towards the current priority issues/ conflicts. 4. Assign New Tasks S Deliverables: Ensure clarity on near-term plan (can include info. Gathering) for accountability purposes within and outside of PD. OPD Ceasefire Section 1111111IIIIIIIlli1111111/1II1I1111111111111IIIA,I!1111IIIl1IIII11IIIIl11111I111111111 • 5 specialized teams, specifically trained and manage to build intelligence on violence dynamics; disrupt violent group conflicts and prevent retaliation shootings • Gang Unit; Ceasefire; SIU 1; SIU 2; Intelligence Cell • Supported by customized skill -building / training program • In a 16 person, 2 -unit team, the positions often break down as follows: • 1 - Primary Case Agent • 1 - Secondary Case Agent • 6 - 10 Plainclothes Surveillance Officers • 4 - 8 Arrest Team Officers ca -yr• yr Lf 1 10 Skill Set Progression Guideline ►►►►►►iu►►►►►►►►r►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►r►►►►►►►►►►►rii►►irr►m►i►►►irrn►►►rr►i►ir►► Instructor Arrest Team/ Plainclothes Surveillance t Arrest Team Primary Case Agent r Plainclothes Surveillance Loan or Transfer From Patrol Secondary Case Agent Advance Loan or Transfer 68 Development Progression ►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►r►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►►► Primary Case Agent Secondary Case Agent Plainclothes Surveillance ./11111111.11101,, Arrest Team • Each role encompasses the skills of the previous functions • Each advance in role comes with the expectation of being able to backfill preceding functions (i.e. a person with case agent experience may be needed to act as plainclothes surveillance) 1 e hay rn oLis 651-1-1`96,1" 11 69 111111.111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field OPD-HSD-Community Coordination Meeting (bi-weekly) 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 Attended by CF Director, OPD D/C, Oakland Unite Manager and senior staff, CBO partners, Mayor's Public Safety Director, Community Partners, CPSC Goals/Agenda: 1. Review Shootings and Discuss Violence Dynamic/Risk: Based on PD shooting review, what people and networks are at greatest risk of violence in the near term?* 2. Refine near-term strategy to reduce future shootings, provide effective support: custom notifications; hospital response; family support; life coach follow-up; conflict mediation/violence interruption; jail/prison "in reach," street outreach; etc. 3. Refine strategy for chronically high risk individuals. 4. Partnership health: Address issues re coordination, boundaries, client concerns re LE, program strategy, resources needs. 12 70 Community of SupportInd for VeryHigh Risk ividuals • Intensive Case Management/Life Coaching • Clients eligible to receive incentivized stipends 726,0" ie- d7 r) • Improved coordination between Life Coaches and Education and Employment Support Services (priority as per contracts) 1 Li -1 1 h rrnp - '� ; c, • Emergency Relocation Support ), Ocx. t -1 u.k, ; • CBT Groups • Legal advocacy, mental health and substance abuse • Faith Partners: Weekly Night Walks, Holiday Support, Political Support A Theory Of Change Establish a Trusting pbetween staff and lity that gives behavior ices, supports, opportunities that gths ddress OUTREACH 13 71 establish a close relationship and rapport with the client Once a client is referred, explain to them that you are there to support them, help keep them safe and out of prison (,_,) During this initial stage, it is common for clients to not be "service ready" 0 The goal and expectation of this phase is to remain in close and constant contact with the client and support them to remain safe. 1111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIl11l1II11111111111I1111I11111/II1111111111111/111/111111111111111 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field 14 72 Trust Building and Procedural Justice 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 OPD and Ceasefire Partners have worked together since 2013 to develop trust building strategies based in procedural justice -which is supported by a large body of research. • Procedural Justice and Implicit Bias Training for all OPD staff in partnership with the community (developed from/by CF Partnership) • Advanced procedural justice and implicit bias training for Crime Reduction Teams • Quarterly Focus Groups with very highest risk Ceasefire clients • Incorporating procedural justice into promotional exams • Re -designing the management of shooting scenes to apply procedural justice with community members present at those scenes 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111.11 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / Implications for the Field 15 342 73 800 700 600 500 400 300 200 100 0 CEASEFIRE Strategy Progress in Oakland 2012-2017* 678 561 499 553 471 90 2012 2013 420 2014 `Ceasefire Partnership began on October 18, 2012 425 2015 Shootings • Homicides -49% REDUCTION 392 307 85 2016 349-- 277 2017 C to+ . qty - L -FL) r o- -- 1 t ` dam s ctlS ks/ r 19h he rs rrK' 1 s. tr• . lllllll11111IIIIII11IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIl11111111111111111111I11I11111111IIIIIII111111111 Oakland Police Department: Use of Force Data* 2012-2017 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 1244 ■2012 835 •2013 6. -75% REDUCTION •2014 ■ 2015 414 2016 309 2017 'Source: OPD Office of Inspector General 16 74 Individual CJ Outcomes: Post Call-in *As ofQ12017 1111IIIIIIIIIIIIIII11IIIIIII11I11IIIIIIIIIIIl111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIII1II11I11I1111/Illll Percentage of Arrest and Victimization Post Call -In TOTAL: 250' • No Action/No Arrest for Violent Offense 61 Arrest for Violent/Gun Offense r. Murder Victim Victim of a Shooting/Homicide Suspect in a Violent Offense but not Arrested Note; This data should NOT be used for scientific or research purposes. A formal evaluation with an appropriate control group will need to be used to accurately analyze and evaluate participant outcomes. This evaluation is Just beginning and expected to be completed in 2018. 'Violent offenses include: Murder, Aggravated Assaults (shootings), Rape and Robbery. Summary of Oakland Ceasefire Outcomes To -Date 11111111111111111111111►1►►1111111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII►I►I►1II►IIII111IIII1►1►►1111III • Large reductions in homicides and injury shootings (-49%) • Dramatically fewer OPD uses of force and complaints (-75%) • Citywide communication strategy reaching majority of very highest risk population (300) • Prelim. life coaching evaluation shows statistically significant reduction in violent re -arrest at 6 months. • Ceasefire impact evaluation will be completed in June. • Overall: progress towards a safer, healthier community, particularly for these young men and their families rr. 17 75 ►►►►1►►►11►►I1111111111111►►1►I►II►1111111111111111111►1111►l►►►11►11►II►►►IIIIl►►I11 Agenda 1. Background on Oakland 2. Development of Gun Violence Reduction Strategy / Oakland Ceasefire 3. Goal 1 Overview: Reduce gun violence citywide 4. Goal 2 Overview: Improve outcomes for young people at very highest risk of violence 5. Goal 3 Overview: Build trust between police and affected communities 6. Outcomes and Results: 2012-2017 7. Reflections on the Work / implications for the Field Reflections on the Work/ Lessons Learned IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII111I1II1►11Ill111111►I11I/11111II111IIII►III►IIIIIIII►IIIIII111III • Principled policing - towards greater safety, a smaller OPD footprint, and better community relationships • Relationships Based Intervention - effective support and opportunities for those at very highest risk • Lessons for cities - the critical roles of good management and political will • Implications for the field - integrating models; performance management and shared governance ;cu C 6 6 t—��Yl��`�►-1 -ir QRe44 rpack.,. c.e- eri+ i s GY'JCI k 18 76 III►1►11►r'I,I111►1I►1111111n11111111III►1111►►111111111►111►11111111111►►11I►111►11 APPENDICES Sustainability Lessons Learned 11111111111111111111111111111111111111 IIII11111►111►►111111Is1►1►1111111►u11111111 1. A dedicated team of senior managers - working together from across sectors - is essential to build and execute a coherent strategy. 2. Coordination amongst law enforcement, social services, and community takes consistency, transparency, and explicit agreement to shared goals, values and boundaries. 3. A management system that holds partners to the work on a weekly and monthly basis, and ties into clear performance indicators and benchmarks, is necessary to. a. Keep diverse stakeholders focused on a shared strategy, and b. make near-term progress (Le. two months) towards Tong -term goals (i.e. safe city status over 5-7 years). 4. Local investment dedicated to reducing violence should be long term and stable to give any strategy the time and resources needed to make an impact. 19 77 National Research Evidence 11111111111111111111IIIIIIIIIIIII1111111111111111111111.111111111111111111111111111111 Focused police -community partnerships can reduce shootings and recidivism in the near term. • In 2017, Braga and Weisburd et. Al. reviewed all rigorous studies of Ceasefire strategies over the last 20 years (24 studies). • They found these strategies - when implemented well - were highly effective in reducing violence in 19 of 24 rigorous evaluations. Several of these interventions also significantly reduced recidivism amongst the highest risk of violence population. • The greatest impacts were found in cities that focused on high violence and victimization groups and networks (like Oaklarid). b, C 04-e oLs ore., . 20 Distributed at t e Meeting (c} 7th Annual Gang Prevention and Intervention Conference Carson Community Center - Los Angeles, California May 7-8, 2018 "Collaborative Approaches & Comprehensive Solutions to Violence" Report completed by Councilmember Dulce Gutierrez Monday, May 7, 2018 WORKSHOP 1: Title: Focused Crime and Violence Prevention (Spanish/Espanol) Hosts: Indira Villegas (USAID) and Francisco Almanza Aguayo (Chemonics International) Implemented in Mexico; Explained ways to build capacity for local agencies to tackle youth crime and youth violence using a tool called Youth Targeting Tool (YTT). YTT uses variables to conduct analysis of risks faced by youth members on an individual basis. YTT: Formula: Propensity and exposure equals violent behavior Propensity = prone or not prone to violence (as an individual) Exposure = Prone or not prone to violence (environment/setting) Additional Notes: Youth violence is typically geographically concentrated; Victims and victimizers tend to be young males Interviewing youth to understand risk factors is best conducted by other youth; this helps include youth into the process and increases likelihood of at -risk youth being forthcoming with their risk factors. Common limitations/problems that can be addressed using YTT: -Local agencies do not have the tools to strategically work with youth at high risk and are also limited in attempts to generate evidence produced by their intervention work -- This results when agencies working with youth do not identify the youth's risk level, nor identify or address the risk associated with the youth's setting/environments Intervention focuses on employment opportunities: Reaching out to the private sector and learning their employment needs that can be met by youth considered at -risk (or rehabilitated youth) helps increase/prepare opportunities for youth in time for the appropriate phase of the intervention process. Page 1 of 3 WORKSHOP 2: Title: How a Life Can be Changed through Consistent Intervention Hosts: Rosario Dowling and Raquel Perez -Burning (Burning Bush Moments) Implemented in Sacramento, California; Explained the important role of a mentor and/or advocate has in the lives of youth in AND out of the juvenile system. The purpose of this approach is to create a consistent and reliable support system for youth engaged with the juvenile justice system. Mentorship: Crucial for mentors to understand their role is not to place judgement of the youth. Mentors/advocates are focused only on supporting the youth's success and helping them navigate through their struggles with consistent intervention. Advocacy: Help ease transitions happening in the youth's life Help find alternative activities for youth to deter them from violence and incarceration Tuesday, May 8, 2018 WORKSHOP 3: Title: Building Trust between Police & the Community Hosts: Captain Ersie Joyner (Oakland PD), Reygan Cunningham (Oakland Ceasefire Strategy), Vaughn Crandall (California Partnership for Safe Communities), David Muhammad (Community and Youth Outreach) See handout titled: The Oakland Gun Violence Reduction Strategy (also known as Ceasefire Oakland) WORKSHOP 4: Title: Incident Response & Proactive Peacebuilding Hosts: Dr. Jeff Brantingham (UCLA Professor), Commander Gerald Woodyyard (LAPD), Kevin Orange (APUU Community Intervention Worker), Skip Townsend (2nd Call) Implemented in the City of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California Gang Reduction and Youth Development (GRYD) -- GRYD works with youth, staff and (chosen) families --GRYD Triangle Protocol (GRYD office is conduit between Law Enforcement and Intervention) GRYD Intervention Incident Response --Shared tools used to disrupt retaliation --Explained the effective partnership development and working relationship between GRYD and community (through the use of "Community Intervention Workers" to respond to incidents of crime. Page 2 of 3 Disrupting retaliation: Retaliation is an active part of gang violence --incident response protocol has potential to drastically reduce retaliation - -protocol helps predict which gangs are connected through these violent events ---Proactive peacemaking is constant and year around; doesn't work properly using the "absent parent" approach (coming around only to tell people what to do) LAPD and CIW Perspectives: - -Program managers are helpful in ensuring appropriate/needed resources are accessible --Direct dialogue with Law Enforcement is key --Rumor control plays a role How has GRYD IR impacted relationships with law enforcement; (CIW Worker) began by showing up to shooting/crime scenes to provide insight, condolences, and intervention support; initially LEO and IR didn't share a lot of trust; but IR introduced themselves every time and notified LEO on site EVERY time IR was present after shooting event; this practice eventually led to trust between IR and LEO. Now both parties are able to communicate effectively and building trust. What advice would you give to communities who don't use GRYD but want to reduce violence? APUU CIW = Use GRYD to uphold a coordinated structure that cuts out wasted time/energy when attempting to reduce or stop retaliation Deputy Chief = Getting started may be difficult because it's unchartered territory for most communities; it takes time to increase understanding and trust between law enforcement and intervention work. Page 3 of 3 CITY OF YAKIMA NEIGHBORH Discussing neighborhood safety Distributed at t Meeting FOR S ON FUBLIC SAFETY city of Ya �.a a. Summary report drafted by Council -member Dulce Gutierrez Page 1 of 47 Table of Contents 1. Overview Page 3 2. Agenda of Neighborhood Forums Page 4 3. List of 10 Neighborhood Forums Page 5 4. Mapping of Neighborhood Fortis( taff) Page 6 5. Reports of each Neighborhoo orum _ Page 7 a. Cross intersection of 8th S Page 8 b. St. Michael's Epi uo . al Misste Page 11 c. Garfield Elemen a chool Page 13 d. Henry Beauchampom �� 'ty Center Page 16 e. Roberts Elementa Scho Page 19 f. Mce ure Elementary Q Page 22 g. LewisTM& Clark,; iddle _ pool Page 24 h ,Fr. nk1i l id School {` - Page 27 iddle Page 29 ethodist Church Page 32 6. Limi tions of Ne A borlood Forums on Public Safety Page 35 7. Full ComptionsiResident Input Page 36 Page 2 of 47 Overview In spring of 2017, after a string of strong armed robberies and gang related shootings within the city of Yakima, public concern about safety and security was wide spread throughout the city. During this time of great public distress, a request was made by a group of residents to have the City of Yakima host a community discussion on neighborhood safety in a neighborhood around 8th street, an area heavily impacted by violent crime. The Yakima City Council responded to the residents' request. on the cross intersection of 8th street and "D" street to h • s. gathering of neighbors and talk about a wide spectrum of public safety issues. osting a neighborhood forum The City of Yakima had 2 objectives while hostin`'`ach neighborhoo forum on public safety: (a) inform neighborhood residents of the various ays to report and reduce crime, and (b) learn about common neighborhood needs ana - • que neighborhood needs. In order to obtain as much input fro asked residents at the neighborhood f• 8 ' • advocacy agency named Southern Ca measure level of closeness amongst net articipating res,deut:'' :the Yakima Counel members uestions reef, ended by a violence prevention Crossroads. ddition, questions were added to assess interes'n block -watch type programs. The first neighborhoo well atter' d included residents fro • ifferen ` . e s hborho d resident feedback. Proving to neighbor a'_• • ` orun 40' All resi•erns:who wished ore•uest neighborhoo9<`were encourag fto do s requests for nett. 'borhood fo Each neighborhood fwas neighborhood, and also roduced a high volume of City Council decided to host multiple e different neighborhoods across the city. hborhood forum on public safety in their e Yakima City Council committed to fulfilling 10 uested by a Yakima resident and/or Council -member. The option to hold a neigh z`':_ a ood forum in Spanish was made available to all residents who requested a neighborhood forum. Bilingual police officers were also made available for all neighborhood forums with Spanish speaking residents. Questions, concerns and comments shared by Yakima residents throughout the neighborhood forums were documented and summarized into this report. Nearly 200 unique residents participated during the process (only a handful of residents attended more than 1 forum). This report may be utilized as a reference tool or guide for understanding neighborhood needs, addressing concerns and planning out strategies for crime prevention and violence prevention. Page 3 of 47 Agenda of Neighborhood Forums Each 1 of the 10 neighborhood forums included the following agenda: Welcome and Introduction — Facilitated by councilmember(s) a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- Staff a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses and victims b. Policy regarding inquiries about citizenship status fo -:":;; Messes and victims c. How to report crimes using Crime Stoppers, 911 Te='. nd Y ' ack Section 2 - Neighborhood Patrolling -- Staff a. How the YPD generally patrols residential b. Resource limitations, volume of crime and prioritization c. Community policing and participation improve p = c safe Section 3 - Crime Prevention — Facili ted .by -councilmen a. Questions and Answers for attendees i. Do you recognize ii. Do you think it iii. What is mos iv. What challenges `o we fac v. What positive things;do w vi. As- iege %orswhat vii. viii. ix. x. What eIseneeds to be addressed for -public safety? any of your neighbors here today? useful to know yo ntname and/or phone number? ortant fo the safety of s neighbo hood? reducing violence? veras a neighborhood that can help reduce violence? doneed m o eeto kp vi rolence and crime down? would otild "Street 0 at are short to What are long to tains" be needs? term n eds? helpful for f I witnesses who wish to report crime? Additional Notes: ➢ Section 1 and Section 2 were presented by City of Yakima law enforcement officials. Residents were encouraged to ask questions during these sections. Each bullet point in Section 1 and Section 2 represents a question asked by a resident. ➢ Section 3 was facilitated by City of Yakima Council members. Residents were encouraged to answer questions and share comments, experiences and/or concerns. Each bullet point in Section 3 represents input stated by a resident. ➢ Spanish/English translation was provided at each forum upon request. Page 4 of 47 List of 10 Neighborhood Forums 1. Cross intersection of north 8th street & east "D" street - public/outdoor 06-17-2017; Spanish 2. St. Michael's Episcopal Mission - 5 S. Naches Ave 10-14-2017; English 3. Garfield Elementary School - 612 N_,r6 10-25-2017; English ;:. 4. Henry Beauchamp Community C -r - 12. S. 7th S 11-15-2017; English 5. Robertson Elementary Schh =='� W. L' Coln Ave 12-06-2017. P . ish 6. McClure Ele 02-21-2018; 7.L 8. Franklin 02-24-2 ool - 1 22nd hool `f W. Pierce Street - 410 S. 19th Ave 9. Washington Mid !`School - 510 S. 9th Street 02-27-2018; Spanish 10. Wesley United Methodist Church - 14 N. 48th Ave 03-07-2018; English Page 5 of 47 Mapping of Neighborhood Forums This page is le blank inentiori:, for Sta.' to insert map. Page 6 of 47 Page 7 of 47 City of Yakima Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #1 Location: Cross intersection of north 8th street and "D" street (outdoor forum) Date/Time: Saturday, June 17, 2017 @ 4:OOpm Language: Spanish with English translation Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, City Prosecutor; Sergeant Uriel Mendoza, Yakima Police Department; Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez, Carmen Mendez Public Attendance: 50 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierrez a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- a. Process of reporting a crime for wit b. Policy regarding inquiries about citiz c. How to report crimes using Crime Stopp victims for witnesses and victims and Yakack ships s,911'Ie Section 2 - Neighborh':od:Patrolli g-- Staff a. How the YPD generally : atrols r dential areas b. Resource 1 F� tat ans vola to c _c m d riot' ation c. Co urn po icing and pa t@dation im ove pu tic safety Section 3 - Crime Prevention - y ouncilmember Gutierrez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize anyof ya mneighbors here today? (Attendees asked to raise their hand) • Yes. 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? (If yes: attendees invited to contact D. Gutierrez for a coordinated list) • Yes Page 8 of 47 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • The safety of our children and our neighbors. • When crime occurs, that police keep in touch with the family of victim to share updates (relatives may know information helpful to the investigation). • Arresting criminals before they become embolden to harass, threaten, or taunt the family members of victims. • When parents have any information on the homicide of their child, that detectives listen respectfully and investigate information thoroughly. • Ensure police have the ability (time) to build positive relationships with residents and bridges of communication prior to crime occurring in thea eighborhood. • Homicide victims be picked up from crime scene wi :`'easonable timeframe. • Communication is necessary. • Action is key. 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing viol • If no arrest is made after a homici compelled to retaliate against suspec • Reports of a family party are sometimes reports of gunshots. • Some residents may feel _ e t towards (specifically, delayed polic • There's more talking about th • Some reside -1felt disreg informatiai rime co ose close to the dece•i.ed victim feel dividual,Xeven if unla lly. within a shorter .timeframe than for underperforming in duties action E e 5.) What positive thing' a e hav:`_ s a neighb 6.) As ecaus " ;s are • �bors, what do •_ e lights beca ctivities for violence . don't b mrd tows work so • Have curfe • More neighbo taken to solve the problem. reporting new or additional family member. ood that can help reduce violence? unication among neighbors is positive f neighborhood violence. 'enc • , q rnum A s begin, der to keep violence and crime down? 't is to while k. ey're still young because some kids in Yakima begin a young age. These kids need protection and prevention e violent, as well. uent youth. e ved in making criminals feel unwelcome in the neighborhood. • Address and holI'responsible landlords who own rental property and constantly rent it out to gang members or drug dealers. • Having a police officer station his/her vehicle near areas of suspected of criminal activity to discourage overt criminal activity, even if for a short period. • Crack down on school truancy; enforcement needed. • Neighbors need to call police and report crimes as they happen. • Neighbors need to know one another better. • Cameras located on street intersections that can read vehicle license plates. Page 9 of 47 7.) Would "Street Captains" be helpful for fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? • Yes, affirmative support from residents to establish "Street Captains." 8.) What are short term needs? • More neighborhood forums to continue this conversation on public safety. • "Night Out" gatherings for neighbors to meet neighbors. • Inform neighbors of the wanted criminals on Yakima's Crime Stoppers list. • Identify "Street Captains" and create "Street Coordinated Phone Lists." 9.) What are long term need? • More police/patrolling in residential streets. 3f R:v • Focus on gang prevention and drug prevention o youth. --> Reformed gang members can disco e at lk youth from joining gangs. --> Encourage youth to do a Ride -Hong with plate/SRO in middle school. • Enable older youth to provide menta' a for younger yo • Redirect city investments from wir ti cohol events to youtr enters/programming. 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safe • Can parents legally discipline spanking? does the YPD handle a call made by a minor who is being spanke p :fined by the a arents? How do YPD officers deal with parents in this scenario,'-ecificatt ow do YPDofficers deal with parents who are undocumen • If someo §' • called 91 911 at or near. immediately asAtt igrants report a 0 for poli the crime trout spe a streetcaptam repo a ora , Street. Captainr tQ rt necess. the scene s e best wa. c ice 9..cers disclose at the scene who ers to sp with the individual who called Es there a way for witnesses to report a crime g with LEO in front of neighbor? n behalf of a primary witness? What is an effective liaison for his/her neighbors? ---Forum Concluded --- Page 10 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #2 Location: St. Michael's Episcopal Mission Date/Time: Saturday, October 14, 2017 @ 4:OOpm Language: English Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, City Prosecutor; Sergeant Rafael Sanchez, Officer Jorge Quinones, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez, Kathy Coffey Public attendance: 4 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierrez a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- a. Process of reporting a crime for wit b. Policy regarding inquiries about citiz c. How to report crimes sin .rime Stop victims or witn= V and victims and Y Section 2 - Neighborl wryPatrolli "' - Staff a. How the YPD generally= arols} ntial area b. Resourc Cos s, vole �A �riorr }a tion c. Co ii s; %"'po e d p. @ation imp .up is safety • Section 3 - Cri,revention-guncilm=}mber Gutierrez a. Questions and ° ers for a dees 1.) Do you recognize . i:fi:b e neighbors here today? (Attendees asked to raise hand) • Yes 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes, it would be great if the City can help create neighbor phone lists • Toppenish neighborhoods make good use of neighborhood phone lists • Service providers, La Casa Hogar, the Church, and the food bank also serve as hubs that help families know one another in the neighborhood Page 11 of 47 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • Community coming together is important • Being friendly towards neighbors is important • Knowing your neighbors • Extend the downtown district boundary to Walnut Avenue • Reporting crimes, no matter how small the crime 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violence? • Verbal fights are common • Difficult to distinguish when crime is occurring in area with heavy loitering 5.) What positive things do we have as a neighborhood th an, help reduce violence? • The Henry Beauchamp Community Center ffi • All the churches, social services and comnrtg tycenters i"" a e neighborhood • Naches Parkway • Association of Churches holds "Momerof Blessings" after fata shootings 6.) As neighbors, what do we need in order to keepNlenc • Law enforcement at the YN 4. e . of because homelessness in the neighbors i `dthere are to Camp Hope (uncertain of reasonm • Speaking/being friendly to neigh d crime down` ope services have not relieved eless people who say they can't go 7.) Would "Street Capt • Probably so. • Depends.,on the neig:w • DO u t ts ihtain Blo tnesses w wish to report crime? tkeneighborhood atch pro 8.) Wha g e short term nese? • Gettnigto know neigars 9.) What are longqrrn needs? • Better lighting • Improving Nacho • Improving streets • Clean up blighted areas • Reducing the number of abandoned properties transient/temporary housing 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safety? • Residences that sell drugs need to be reported • Heard a neighbor was upset/felt ignored after reporting a house suspected of selling drugs because uniformed officers did not arrive to the scene ---Forum Concluded --- Page 12 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #3 Location: Garfield Elementary School Gymnasium Date/Time: Wednesday, October 25, 2017 @ 6:OOpm Language: English with Spanish translation Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, City Prosecutor; Captain Jeff Schneider, Sergeant Uriel Mendoza, Officer Thomas Garza, Yakima Police Deptartment Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez, Carmen Mendez, Kathy Coffey Public attendance: 25 Also in attendance: Garfield Elementary Principal NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierre a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- S a. Process of reporting a crime for witne b. Policy regarding inquires_ ..bout citize c. How to report crim • Is texting 91 • Are services a e Stopp rity? ish, speci the victi s an '. statu • After re s orting a Section a. How the b. Resource li c. Community • What isthep • • • itness- --r_-akB d victims k ly 911 Text services? ceived a case number but it remains e of the house burglary ighborhood °,tl _enerally pa ions, volum po ' and part = lling _f�;,ff resid- areas crime and prioritization pation improve public safety time for a shooting? Is there an imme sonse to reports of speeding in a school zone? How can law enforc=ement prevent speeding in residential neighborhoods? Is it hard to get a speed bump installed to help reduce speeding? Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Gutierrez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? (Attendees asked to raise hand) • Yes. Page 13 of 47 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes. 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • More lighting • Cleaning up streets and alley ways • City employees who pick up trash should be allowed to report sightings of illegal dumping • Reporting graffiti • Neighbors need to get together and know one another 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violence? • Bad lighting • Lack of support for after-school programs kids • Naissance motels/hotels • Community involvement and awareneacking • More neighbors need to report crime or va, ce concern • Not enough police officers 5.) What positive things do we have a • None. borhood t n help reduce violence? 6.) As neighbors, what db...teed in orderkeep te and c $ e down? • If someone sees:. •omet1 rn criminal, they sh • Report naissan thouses • Yakima police o vers wh® so live in this eighborhood • More fie-sresen 7.) Wo` a `tStreet Captfhs" be helpful for fear ` itnesses who wish to report crime? • C be helpful • Some; eighbors are urlling to place their name on a Block Watch list 8.) What are shortrm needs? • Get to know your neighb s • Don't feel fear ' tr : led youth - adults need to report criminal youth • Surveillance came intersections • Repair of eroded sidewalks • Handicap ramps 9.) What are long term needs? • Responsible spending to preserve funding for public safety • Revive old programs like "The Alley Cats" Page 14 of 47 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safety? • Keep school gyms open during after school hours to increase opportunities for kids • Develop a support system to keep young people safe • Many small children unsafely walk home alone to and from school ---Forum Concluded --- Page 15 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #4 Location: Henry Beauchamp Community Center Date/Time: Wednesday, November 15, 2017 @ 6:OOpm Language: English with Spanish translation Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, City Prosecutor; Officer Gonzalo Deloza, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez Public attendance: 35 Also in attendance: U.S. Senator Patty Murray Central Washington Director NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierre a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- St a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses an b. Policy regarding inquiriesra.out citizens l status fix witnesses and victims c. How to report crimes sing r me Stoppe s; 911 VieakBa 1 • Does the norgettrergencyAn e numb op ate 24/7 • Can you track down the progress of a report you make? Section "a' eighborhood Patralmg -- Staf a. Howe a YPD generaily patrolidential areas- b. res b. Resou cimitations, volume of crtrne and prioritization c. Communt s olicing and pcipatiorprove public safety • Why does -''t the detecti Vie division reach out to the victim's family after a homicide happens? • Why won't detectives ret* phone calls to family members of homicide victims? • Can a witness report a= s anonymously by being given an incident number? • Can the City provide victim's advocates or support services for the families of victims? • What can a family of a homicide victim do to protect itself from the suspected perpetrators that killed their relative? • Is the City setting aside money to hire more officers? • Can community members help (or participate in the city's process to) recruit officers to the YPD? • After years of discussing public safety problems, who is actually accountable for providing the proper resources to respond to these public safety problems? Page 16 of 47 • Is there an overlap in officer training for new officers to learn from well -experienced officers? • Why hasn't the city contracted an outside agency to help reduce gang violence and other problems? • Why doesn't the city have reserve officers? • Where can a Block Watch be established? • Can a Block Watch (or civilian) conduct a citizens' arrest? • How can the city help prevent youth behavioral problems? Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Gutierrez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here tem? (Attend ked to raise hand) • Yes 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know yo • Yes ghbors' name and/or e number? 3.) What is most important for the s ;ye� is neighbo *This question was not stated. 4.) What challenges do ; v:3ti n reducin • Need more pe o' Via, out the • Broken fami • Reduction in pr th • High.,..> of depe • L�� : � icati • � : � � outh` c of love uth ` their fam • + programs th vide ` `@.th jobs • No =""i,a ugh advertisin • Not en e: ; staff/volun and no hough community involvement 5.) What positive do we as a neighborhood that can help reduce violence? • Block Watch p ! R be positive for our neighborhoods • Full family artici sg including children) • Programs at parks • PTA • After school programs 6.) As neighbors, what do we need in order to keep violence and crime down? *This question was not stated. 7.) Would "Street Captains" be helpful for fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? • Yes Page 17 of 47 8.) What are short term needs? • Volunteers for block parties, youth programs, community policing program, and helping protect others • Culturally relevant programs • Sports activities • Open up schools during evening hours • Provide support for educational success and strengthen youth skills • More facilities within walking distance for youth • Transportation options for youth to access youth services (example: bus passes) • Develop stronger resources • Treat kids to positive activities (example: youth fi 9.) What are long term needs? • Pool in east Yakima • Tutoring services (education support) • Emphasis on family unity and parents as fir teachers of youth • Teach (children) love, teach consistency, teachf'abou v uing other ped e's property, and to be a decent person • Affordable indoor sports activ dicing (extrem seasons • More parents willing to volunteer at,youth facilities • Access to schoolfor you tiviti eather in) the winter and summer 10.) What else needs t • The creation of a • Job_tr e addresse, antro De} or publi Raza comm come ety? ity center to improve community pride ants (with the intent to help parents avoid erpetuate the absence of parents in their dren's lives) • E kyz learning sup .0 servi es nd high school diploma/GED support services • You programs in diff ant par • Engageent of Yakim+SEhool District • Increase en -e gement of'';>tomunity members • More commutation .A en parents and the Yakima School District ---Forum Concluded --- Page 18 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #5 Location: Robertson Elementary School Gymnasium Date/Time: Wednesday, December 6, 2017 @ 6:OOpm Language: English Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Officer Gonzalo Deloza, Lieutenant Chad Stevens, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez Public attendance: 14 Also in attendance: Robertson Elementary School Principal; Gina McCabe NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Kington State Representative Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierre a. Welcome attendees b. Introduce staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for sect/ i and 3 Section 1 - How to Repo a. Process of reportin b. Policy regarding c. How to report crim • About 6 years ag P 4ary ing -- Staff witnesse tizenshi n '_"=mor wit e s and victims Text and YakBack d to contact YPD from her location in akima and couldn't reach the YPD. How 911 liling from outside of the jurisdiction? cting 91.._ hile driving if there is an emergency? o had her car broken into and was waiting for a police rep :r= ' he resident observed a police officer in his vehicle icer able to attend to this problem if he was nearby? • A offs nearby. ere a best p dent witnesse a `a c arrive to m �. wasn't thi Section 2 - Neighborhong -- Staff a. How the YPD generallyols residential areas b. Resource limitations, volume of crime and prioritization c. Community policing and participation improve public safety • A resident had his property broken into so he drove to the police department for a case number and was told to go back to his shop and wait for an officer. The resident felt it was more important at the moment to drive to a store and purchase a new door to replace the broken -in door damaged by the burglars. Why does an officer need to enter the property to verify his claim that his property was been broken into? • If neighbors/officers don't know the neighbors is it really a neighborhood? • Are there "beat" officers assigned to each of the nine districts? Page 19 of 47 • If a property/house security alarm goes off does the tenant or a neighbor need to call for police response? • How do pawn shops prevent stolen items from being bought/sold in their establishment? • How are the pawn shops monitored to ensure they are reporting accurately? • Are second hand stores held to the same standards? • How many vacancies does the YPD have right now? • Do all officers live in the city of Yakima? • Can the City of Yakima pay for officers' living expenses for officers who are willing to live in east Yakima? Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Gutierr a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors her • Yes 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your n • Yes bors e and/or phbneLLnumber? 3.) What is most important for the safe *This question was not stated. 4.) What challenges do, • Not everyon • Police cannot be erywhere • Neigh.o smay not • e A tivities educing age abo he street a' :t don't play sp • There ;s less home o they o don't know • Experien*e=:; ith police Yakima. Once she was by it. She is co reed response time. is safety Via' orities fele they p14,to help reduce crime bes3 _sportsActivities. Youth are either home alone or bad decisio der these circumstances, in particular youth s for youth activities are too narrow. rship ® tso people are less invested in where they live, and on't trusheir neighbors. ponse time has been great in her neighborhood in central ed by an officer in response to a report and felt very reassured .esrdents in east Yakima are not experiencing the same police • Crime in other areas of town are just as meaningful as in their own areas and vice versa so the city has to fix safety problems across the city. 5.) What positive things do we have as a neighborhood that can help reduce violence? • Robertson Elementary School offers an after-school art program • Strong and active PTA 6.) As neighbors, what do we need in order to keep violence and crime down? *This question was not stated. Page 20 of 47 7.) Would "Street Captains" be helpful for fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? • Possibly yes but Captains must be trustworthy/creditable. 8.) What are short term needs? • Sidewalk needed on Powerhouse Rd between Lincoln and Englewood 9.) What are long term needs? • Sidewalk and street lighting needed on Powerhouse Rd between Lincoln and Englewood • Strengthening code enforcement • Reducing the amount of non-operating vehicles parke ems" lawn yards and streets • Reducing homelessness 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public saf • Public report on results of public safety • Incentives for police officers to reside s eighborhoods most iii ` ted by crime • Expand Lincoln between 24th and 40th • Police officers can use baseball cards to en �': id ow law en : ment ---Forum Concluded --- Page 21 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #6 Location: McClure Elementary School Date/Time: Wednesday, February 21, 2018 @ 6:OOpm Language: English Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Lieutenant Sean Boyle, Gang Unit Sergeant Chad Janis, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Carmen Mendez, Kay Funk Public attendance: 7 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Mendez a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- St a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses an b. Policy regarding inquiries_. bout citizenship status c. How to report crim _ r e Stopp 911 • What crime i onsidered ubstantial e non -emergency. Section 2 a. How. b. Resou c. Comm•• pr Police Departm akB _ b call 9' What crime is considered a eighbar•Iood Patty e YPD general �limitations, vo unr s Q. olicing and p ` What p When a 14 acol does themes ar old was premises locat;, only 1 Iag -- Staff atrols eesidential are of c ! ;and prioritization cipatio s�, prove public safety ool use during an active shooter situation to keep kids safe? led around noon and students were outside within school ck away of shooting, there wasn't a warning by Yakima should school staff do in these situations? • Can the City ask fo a lear answer regarding active shooter drills from the Yakima School District? • People are partaking in drug use in the next door parking lot to McClure elementary school. What can be done to stop this drug use occurring so close to the school? • Does a person being charged for a crime have the ability to know the identity of the witness who reported them? Page 22 of 47 Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Mendez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? • No. 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes. Is there a neighborhood block watch in the McClure Elementary neighborhood? 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • More police patrolling in the area • More awareness about the location of registered ; roi ®.enders 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violen • Lack of mandatory training for school s • McClure Elementary School is no long d students for affed with an assign e shooter lock -downs olice officer 5.) What positive things do we have as a neighborly • that No input from residents. 6.) As neighbors, what do we need in • Report crime elp reduce ence? violen crime down? • 7.) Would "Street Ca : �fu1 for B'<so s to report crime? • Yes • Some people . `=terred reportin me due to fear of having their identity exposed to the suspe s) :me 8.)Wh No in 9.) What are • Validat • Increase a "'_ ess abo proving public safety 10.) What else needs to �:s`sed for public safety? • Schools should mte parents to "Parent Nights" if they have students in the Yakima School District ---Forum Concluded --- Page 23 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #7 Location: Lewis & Clark Middle School Cafeteria Date/Time: Thursday, February 22, 2018 @ 6:OOpm Language: English with Spanish translation Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Lieutenant Sean Boyle, Gang Unit Sergeant Chad Janis, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Carmen Mendez, Dulce Gutierrez Public attendance: 8 Also in attendance: Lewis & Clark Middle School Principal NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Mendez a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for sect a , 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- Sta a. Process of reporting a crime or witnesse b. Policy regarding in ;uses ®out citizens stat ��sses ''d victims c. How to report cri e using Crr e Stoppers, § xt an 6 : ack • After reporting dug crime o the Yak County Sheriffs office do city prosecutors and city police knoabou ae eport too • Is Ca—ratic . vailable'vnie n Section eighborhood P polling „,Staff a a. How the °Dgenerally presid 1a1 areas b. Resource limI ations, volume4f crime and prioritization c. Community poli mg and partteibation improve public safety Section 3 - Crime Preventiox = Councilmember Mendez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? • Yes Page 24 of 47 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes, for long-term neighbors but it may not be helpful for short term neighbors. • Building relationships with neighbors and local officials help people address their concerns. 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • Need sidewalks for student population • The lack of sidewalks also increases the vehicle traffic on private property • Need more police patrolling • When school is out there is greater risk of violence • Fencing the parks help children feel safer • The lack of sidewalks demonstrate a lack of safe 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violence • Lack of communication about domestic • Sometimes fear prevents residents fro • People need to speak up more about pub violence • More people need to say so • Continuing constant commune nce orting a public crime were witness to rime and o find so ut - s to domestic when they tween the ething of and immediate neighbors 5.) What positive things do we have as a • Neighbors chec ther neig • Parents can n`th c `sR4. and f • When people • Building trust that can • reduce violence? staying out of trouble ' - open to ta Ing about problems key 6.)Asn • • • Rep • Comm • Ensuring speaking res • Have a YakBac residents who don ord igilant for e police if y spicious ve tion ack is ac lence and crime down? ng suspicious at a neighbors residence ible to as many residents as possible including spanish e number that provides the same service as YakBack online for e Internet access 7.) Would "Street Captains" be helpful for fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? • Yes, having private residents work closely with law enforcement is very helpful. 8.) What are short term needs? • Sidewalks! Page 25 of 47 9.) What are long term needs? • Public safety through environmental design; around the school and inside of school • Sidewalks! 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safety? • Encourage students to speak out about violence and suspicious behavior • Students don't feel safe reporting peers who are behaving violently or suspiciously • Barb wire on school buildings to prevent active shooters from having rooftop access • The City of Yakima should directly contact schools to promote Police community events. • Have more Police community events on school prope ---Forum Concluded --- Page 26 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #8 Location: Franklin Middle School Cafeteria Date/Time: Friday, February 24, 2018 @ 6:OOpm Language: English Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Lieutenant Linda Watts, Sergeant Kelly Willard, Officer Jorge Quinones, Officer Eric Jones, Yakima Police Department Council -members: Kay Funk, Kathy Coffey, Dulce Gutierrez Public attendance: 15 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Funk a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- S a. Process of reporting a crime for witn s an ims b. Policy regarding inqu' c. How to report crim • What is the Section 2 a. How b. Res c. Comm • Isth • Is recru • Can the • How big of • Is the police m • Is the police engagi out citizen e Stopp j� ,r. one n '� s�p:r � safety ge e e limitations,'= policing an minimum st officers for elp revit do sidenti e and prr ization mprove public safety d for umber of K-9 dogs on duty? YPD going well? a previously active neighborhood block watch? eighborhood block watch cover? ort to reach and interact with middle school students? n local sport tournaments? Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Funk a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? • Yes Page 27 of 47 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • Reducing clustered housing facilities of registered sex offenders • Suspicious individuals may be gone by the time law enforcement arrives to the scene • It's unsafe for pedestrian traffic attempting to walk in north -south directions to cross vehicle traffic going east -west on Tieton and east -west on Summitview • Police need to patrol residential areas (not only main streets) 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violence? • Some people may be hesitant to report crime • After hit-and-run incidents, victims don't knv what happens with their report • People are worried about exposing thei ty when report, g a crime 5.) What positive things do we have as a neigh or ood that can help reduce olence? • Police officers were great in responding to to house asking residents fo the o.portunity t individual walking from house cash. 6.) As neighbors, what do we need in • der t© tp violenc- and crime down? • • Report all crime regardless of how}}smal -'o unimportarr"+e crime may seem. • Report all crime when suspect has evade ®e¢area. 7.) Would "Street Ca • Yes :foul for fea ''nesses ` 7°wish to report crime? 9.) What ar long term nee • Be co si tent with sup .sing a gressive pan handling • Be cons , eft with bike polling • Be consisteantth codeAnforcement of non-operating vehicles parked on front lawns 10.) What else needs to beet :.essed for public safety? • Have crossing guar.`s at high traffic intersections ---Forum Concluded --- Page 28 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #9 Location: Yakima — Washington Middle School Cafeteria Date/Time: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 @ 6:OOpm Language: Spanish with English translation Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Officer Gonzalo Deloza, Nicki Sandino, (Community Services Division), Yakima Police Department Council -members: Dulce Gutierrez, Jason White Public attendance: 37 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Gutierre a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, an Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- S a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses an b. Policy regarding inqu 'e bout citizen" c. How to report crim e Stopper; 91 is e<<<an YakBac • Can texts be anish? • Do 911 dispa s about citizenship status? • may' °vx to 9111 tc ask cal Sectio a. Ho Y b. Resource c. Comm • What i • • • eighbor YPD genera Imitations, vo uri1 g o • licing and p Is citizen How do people What are options officials? Patrolling -- Staff trols ` dential areas e-47 and prioritization ipationi prove public safety t for participating in the Community Academy? icipate in the Community Academy? the Community Academy? individual who feel they were victimized by law enforcement e >:. ge require 'w ' slti_required to;d "x� u • Can the city do something about parked vehicles that block road access and/or parked vehicles that increase risk of vehicle collision? Page 29 of 47 Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Gutierrez a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? • Some said yes, some said no. 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborhood? • Improving lighting • Communication with law enforcement officials • Need to increase police presence significantly • Neighborhood residents need to be informe _= bout public Safety on a consistent basis • Programs, activities and mentorship foryou • Reducing speeding • Reducing graffiti 4.) What challenges do we face in rea ing violence • Gangs • Need more family involvement ili`=ir`children's' • Need enforcement of curfew for yth • Gang intimidatio ®�_°� r neighbor 5.) What positive thing • Folks are typicall} as a neig th immedi ood that c ' elp reduce violence? neighboring homes & neighbors ::tar 911 when gunshots are heard; gunsh® s. are heard almost daily in this neighborhood bu.=-neighbors amid to s eak out, or unsure of who the offenders are, or simply don't feel =confident talking law ecement • Youth r grams • Mutual r=sect for quiet ®urs by all neighbors eep violence and crime down? 7.) Would "Street Captains': -';lid -elpful for fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? • Yes 8.) What are short term needs? • Sidewalks • Trees • Maintain alley ways in descent conditions • Improving south 4th street • Better standards for maintaining lawns/properties Page 30 of 47 9.) What are long term needs? • More vigilance • Lighting in alley ways • More street lights • More speed humps • Youth programs • Workshops for kids during after-school hours • Stronger PTA • More community engagement to uphold safety 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safety? • Alley way next to Adams Elementary School is • Support for removal of trees that cause sidewa • Intersections with deep potholes flood d • • Vehicles are broken into frequently but often no arrest is made (leaving peopl • Cameras do not always ensure an arrest wi • Scammers that go home to home e • Theft of mail • School lock -down procedures • Parents need to know how their premises • Preventing students a o.: maintained ruptio avy raining/melted snow inns do not always r ®ort the crime because little confidence in e made ive shooter sib:' ions ldre:rt. be protea°eafrom violence while on school 11 reporting system) ---Forum Concluded--- arrying mons art`Q-cu 1 premises Page 31 of 47 City of Yakima - Public Safety Neighborhood Forum #10 Location: Wesley United Methodist Church Date/Time: Wednesday, March 7, 2018 @ 6:OOpm Language: English Staff: Cliff Moore, City Manager; Ana Cortez, Assistant City Manager; Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney & City Prosecutor; Captain Gary Jones, Nicki Sandino, (Community Services Division), Yakima Police Department Council -members: Holly Cousens, Brad Hill, Dulce Gutierrez Public attendance: 10 NEIGHBORHOOD FORUM Welcome and Intro — Councilmember Cousens anCouncilmember a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- Std a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses an b. Policy regarding inquiriabout citizenn$ es c. How to report crimes-atsii i e Stoppers • What does theCi y do to a®3• ess gra Section 2 a e ood Pa a. How.,thef D gen€> .ly patrols residentia b. Res®, :ce limitations, orae o crime and pn�sritization c. Community policing and p�.articipatio : improve public safety • Can t&City release inf= anon ono consistent basis regarding arrests made of suspects? • Why dme residentsm they have called detectives during an investigation and have not 1�e- called bac1. rom law enforcement officials? • Do all neighbors eceive block -watch sticker or do only active members of block -watch receive a block -watch st°c er? • Is there data to quantify how effective a block -watch is? • Is the City helping homeless service providers in their effort to patrol streets looking for homeless individuals to serve? • What is the common age range for people participating in the Community Academy? • Why has a young African American male been experiencing being pulled over in his vehicles multiple times on his own neighborhood in recent months? Page 32 of 47 Section 3 - Crime Prevention -- Councilmember Cousens and Councilmember Hill a. Questions and Answers for attendees 1.) Do you recognize any of your neighbors here today? • Yes 2.) Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes 3.) What is most important for the safety of this neighborho • Speeding and careless driving on Chestnut • Radar cameras to reduce speeding • Street lights to improve lighting • Improving compliance with Stop signs • Improved infrastructure that removes `, rpoles out of the mi e ` f sidewalks 4.) What challenges do we face in reducing violen • Not enough police officers • Prevalence of gang activity • A diverse community can prese of police force speaks Spanish. 5.) What positive thi • Some neighb • Most people do es; 40%+u"`: city population is Latino and 15% as a ne of of spae ang affili 7.) Woul No input fro elpreduce violence? nice features lence and crime down? fearful witnesses who wish to report crime? 8.) What are short No input from reside 9.) What are long term nee • Satellite police facilities throughout different neighborhoods • Sharing more information about City resources intended to support public safety • Making gym space more accessible for physical health activities Page 33 of 47 10.) What else needs to be addressed for public safety? • Sidewalks on McKinley are so bad they're dangerous • Working to improve sidewalk infrastructure better in all areas is important • The City shouldn't recreate another plan similar to Gang Free Initiative (nor fund it) • Is there anything being done in the schools to teach about active shooter situations? • Pass ordinance that requires housing developers to construct sidewalks on both sides of street • Incentivize police officers to live in the neighborhood/area they are assigned to patrol by covering the cost of housing expenses (for as long as th fficer resides in the area he/she patrols) • Does the City offer premium pay for bilingual poke r tcers? • Speed bumps shouldn't make drivers slow do 0 §-or l0mph (it's excessive) • Grateful for the neighborhood forums on p lo safety ---Forum Concluded --- Page 34 of 47 Limitations of Neighborhood Forums on Public Safety 1. The selected locations used to host neighborhood forums were determined by the individual(s) who requested the forum. These locations were not selected based on crime or violence rates. 2. Due to a lack of funding, there was very limited advertising of these neighborhood forums. The two main approaches used to promote the neighborhood forums included Council -members delivering invitations door to door an. also school officials sharing forum details with students. 3. At the 1St and 4th forum, residents expressed the in regard to crime at the forums due to fear of r neighborhood. about sharing their experiences criminals in their Page 35 of 47 Full Compilation of Resident Input Welcome and Introduction — Facilitated by councilmember(s) a. Welcomes attendees b. Introduces staff at forum c. Explain the forum format for section 1, 2, and 3 Section 1 - How to Report Crime -- Staff a. Process of reporting a crime for witnesses and victims b. Policy regarding inquiries about citizenship status for`''` esses and victims c. How to report crimes using Crime Stoppers, 911 T .d YakBack • Is texting 911 treated as a priority? • Are services available in Spanish, specific '• 1 Text s Mees? • After reporting a house burglary the victeceived a case ner but it remains unknown if officers actually arrived to °' e'scene of the house brgiary • Does the non -emergency phone number € a era to 24/7? • Can you track down the progress of a report • About 6 years ago, a residen ''ster attempted. _ act YPD from her location in Phoenix AZ during a relative` rgency in Yak i and couldn't reach the YPD. How does someone reach the local 9' line calling in outside of the jurisdiction? • ri Is there a best practice for Contac t 911 r le_dving if there is an emergency? • A resident witnesse ' oman Wina ad her ken int, w8 d was waiting for a police ak� officer to arr" e Ti; report. gyres e • t o . e d a police officer in his vehicle a � � nearby. Why wasn't this o t .er able t • ; d to this p - 0 .lem if he was nearby? • What crime is considered s tantial end to call 911? What crime is considered a non -emerge cy? • • - o'. tna drug ° me to the city police abou the report o • akBack availab online'a .anish? • Wh its the non -emergency phoit number for safety issues? • Can toAsbe sent to 91Spani • Do 911 dieatchers ask caltlers about citizenship status? • What does the pity do t ddress graffiti? unty Sheriffs office do city prosecutors Section 2 - Neighborhood Patrolling -- Staff a. How the YPD generally patrols residential areas b. Resource limitations, volume of crime and prioritization c. Community policing and participation improve public safety • Is 911 text available in Spanish? • What is the police response time for a shooting? • Is there an immediate response to reports of speeding in a school zone? • How can law enforcement prevent speeding in residential neighborhoods? • Is it hard to get a speed bump installed to help reduce speeding? Page 36 of 47 • Why doesn't the detective division reach out to the victim's family after a homicide happens? • Why won't detectives return phone calls to family members of homicide victims? • Can a witness report a tip anonymously by being given an incident number? • Can the City provide victim's advocates or support services for the families of victims? • What can a family of a homicide victim do to protect itself from the suspected perpetrators that killed their relative? • Is the City setting aside money to hire more officers? • Can community members help (or participate in the city's process to) recruit officers to the YPD? • After years of discussing public safety problems, w: ctually accountable for providing the proper resources to respond to thes " c safety problems? • Is there an overlap in officer training for new o rs toearn from well -experienced officers? • Why hasn't the city contracted an outsie `;agency to help red _ang violence and other problems? • Why doesn't the city have reserve officer • Where can a Block Watch be established? • Can a Block Watch (or civil V + duct a citi • How can the city help preven • A resident had his property bro number and was told to go back t was more impo - moment • • • • • • • • avioral p drove est? 0ems? 7.4 ,.,g_- police department for a case ait for officer. The resident felt it tehase a new door to replace officer need to enter the oken into? the broken -i by the b property to v is clai 4 at his pro If neighbors/offiw the neig b at"o, :: F$- Area 9e�v" �..�c-��:' .�a. .each alarm go y was been s is it really a neighborhood? e nine districts? the tenant or a neighbor need to call for ce response do pawn shop Ho the pawn shop Are second hand stores How man ancies doh Do all officers;{e in Can the City o live in east Yakim n items from being bought/sold in their establishment? VC 'az. o ensure they are reporting accurately? d to the same standards? e YPD have right now? of Yakima? y for officers' living expenses for officers who are willing to • What protocol does the school use during an active shooter situation to keep kids safe? • When a 14 year old was killed around noon and students were outside within school premises located only 1 block away of shooting, there wasn't a warning by Yakima Police Department. What should school staff do in these situations? • Can the City ask for a clear answer regarding active shooter drills from the Yakima School District? • People are partaking in drug use in the next door parking lot to McClure elementary school. What can be done to stop this drug use occurring so close to the school? Page 37 of 47 • Does a person being charged for a crime have the ability to know the identity of the witness who reported them? Is there a minimum standard for the number of K-9 dogs on duty? Is recruiting officers for the YPD going well? Can the YPD help revitalize a previously active neighborhood block watch? How big of an area does a neighborhood block watch cover? Is the police making an effort to reach and interact with middle school students? Is the police engaging in local sport tournaments? What is the age requirement for participating in the Community Academy? Is citizenship required to participate in the Communit demy? • • • • • • • • • • How do people sign up for the Community Acade What are options for an individual who feel the officials? • Can the city do something about parked v vehicles that increase risk of vehicle co:Isr Can the City release information on a • • ctimized by law enforcement s that bloc oad access and/or parked ? istent basis regarding' arrests made of suspects? Why do some residents claim they have c. t ed detect'ves during an iYtvestigation and have not been called back fro law enforce =at o '"".t ? • Do all neighbors receive a b atch stickernnly active member of block -watch receive a block -watch sticker. • Is there data to quantify how eff • Is the City helping . omeless servie homeless indiv'du� ''o serve? • What is the cs-:°on a • Why has a yo vehicles multiple ck-watch provider . their to patrol streets looking for e for pel : i. 'icipav . , the Community Academy? erican m. een experiencing being pulled over in his own neighborhood in recent months? Sectio 3 Crime Prevention facilitated by ca ncilmember(s) a. QuesttO s and Answers or atteii es i. Do yo • cognize an i f your n g bors here today? • Yes • Yes • Yes • Yes • Yes • No • Yes • Yes • Some said yes, some said no. • Yes Page 38 of 47 ii. Do you think it would be useful to know your neighbors' name and/or phone number? • Yes • Yes, it would be great if the City can help create neighbor phone lists; Toppenish neighborhoods make good use of neighborhood phone lists; Service providers, La Casa Hogar, the Church, and the food bank also serve as hubs that help families know one another in the neighborhood • Yes • Yes • Yes • Yes. Is there a neighborhood block watch in the M • Yes, for long-term neighbors but it may not bee - 31 relationships with neighbors and local officials e p peo Elementary neighborhood? short term neighbors; Building ddress their concerns. • Yes • Yes • Yes iii. What is most important fo, r . afety of thi • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The safety of our children an et When crime occurs, that police e= (relatives may know information Arresting crimi E �` S '` f a e theybe _ ,,. members ofahs. any in tigat When parent " �# respectfully andv"fly. Ens_, ' e have bors. ful o` e emb orhood? with t =: s ily of victim to share updates vestiga' ation on ormation A:,,to burl ca rior to 'rEa s oc AActCo e r is important Beinghbors is important omicide o so oughly. ositive relationships with residents and ing in the neighborhood. cene within reasonable timeframe. icide victi i plc unication is ssar 4. aJ: key. mm€m coming toge lx friee�.towards e$ Knowing yoghbo r ` from cri' eaten, or taunt the family eir child, that detectives listen Extend the do Reporting crimes, n More lighting 'ct boundary to Walnut Avenue atter how small the crime Cleaning up streets and alley ways City employees who pick up trash should be allowed to report sightings of illegal dumping • Reporting graffiti • Neighbors need to get together and know one another • More police patrolling in the area • More awareness about the location of registered sex offenders Page 39 of 47 • Need sidewalks for student population • The lack of sidewalks also increases the vehicle traffic on private property • Need more police patrolling • When school is out there is greater risk of violence • Fencing the parks help children feel safer • The lack of sidewalks demonstrate a lack of safety • Reducing clustered housing facilities of registered sex offenders • Suspicious individuals may be gone by the time law enforcement arrives to the scene • It's unsafe for pedestrian traffic attempting to walk in north -south directions to cross vehicle traffic going east -west on Tieton and east-wes `aha ummitview • Police need to patrol residential areas (not only m.;9`eets) • Improving lighting • Communication with law enforcement offioiMIs • Need to increase police presence signifiGa_ y • Neighborhood residents need to be in :o . as ed about public safetyaar a consistent basis • Programs, activities and mentorship for youth • Reducing speeding • Reducing graffiti • Speeding and careless driving ® ; C - tnut • Radar cameras to reduce speedia • Street lights to improv- lighting • Improving co t -v h Stop si • Improved infrastructure th e x emoves Ii e a a es out of e middle of sidewalks iv. Wha challenges dobe i'a educing violence? • If e o ails is .de a ' r omicide;. apse close to the deceased victim feel compelled to •eialiate agains : us 9 ectedtridividual, eve i<f unlawfully. • R orts of a family.o: are sometimes responded to within a shorter timeframe than Natrep of gunshots • Someidents may fee resentme towards LEO for underperforming in duties (specifically, delayed po-e response time). • There's more • Some residentsh information relate ing abouthe problem than action being taken to solve the problem. _jdisregarded by detectives when reporting new or additional crime committed against their family member. • Verbal fights are common • Difficult to distinguish when crime is occurring in areas with heavy loitering • Bad lighting • Lack of support for after-school programs for kids • Naissance motels/hotels • Community involvement and awareness is lacking • More neighbors need to report crime or voice concern • Not enough police officers • Need more people to care about the violence problem Page 40 of 47 • Broken families • Reduction in programs for youth • High level of dependency on police and not enough community involvement • Lack of communication to youth community • Lack of love for youth within their families • Need programs that provide youth jobs • Not enough advertising of YPAL • Not enough staff/volunteers at YPAL • Not everyone is on the same page about public safety priorities • Police cannot be everywhere • Neighbors may not know what role they play to he • Need more activities for Youth besides sports a on the street and can make bad decisions un that don't play sports. The options for yo • There is less home ownership now so they often don't know or don't trust the • Experience with police response time has Yakima. Once she was called .y an officer i by it. She is concerned resid tt east Yakim response time. • Crime in other areas of town ar so the city has to fix safety probl ce crime outh are either home alone or ese ci "` stances, in particular youth ivities are `© arrow. are less investe _ here they live, and ighbors. great '?+er neighbod in central a report an• very reassured experiencing the "'"ame police • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • their own areas and vice versa Lack of mand McClure El Lack of comm Sometimes fear p for sch s no Lon domestic from lence ing a public crime they were witness to e and also find solutions to domestic nce people nee 'ng constant e may be h run incide d abo. fo tive shooter lock -downs assigned police officer Co Some After hit - People are w ng when they see something unicbetween the school and immediate neighbors t to re oort crime victims don't know what happens with their report posing their identity when reporting a crime Gangs Need more family i olvement in their children's' lives Need enforcement of curfew for youth Gang intimidation of other neighborhood youth Not enough police officers Prevalence of gang activity A diverse community can present challenges; 40%+ of city population is Latino and 15% of police force speaks Spanish. Page 41 of 47 v. What positive things do we have as a neighborhood that can help reduce violence? • Once community conversations begin, communication among neighbors is positive and unified because of shared experiences of neighborhood violence. • The Henry Beauchamp Community Center • All the churches, social services and community centers in the neighborhood • Naches Parkway • Association of Churches holds "Moment of Blessings" after fatal shootings • Block Watch programs can be positive for our neighborhoods • Full family participation (including children) • Programs at parks • PTA • After school programs • Robertson Elementary School offers an aftersemo arty :gram • Strong and active PTA • Neighbors check in with other neighbo • Parents can talk with children and fam =members about staying fl ` of trouble • When people trust one another they are m • re • • en to g ing about o"blems • Building trust and communication should be • Police officers were great iri".n ®;„s ding to a rep A • an individual walking from house to house asking residents for tet.• ity to wi''or cash. • Folks are typically familiar with -4'4 a eeighbori`Eomes & neighbors • Some neighborhoodshave a lot o aR h .v • Most people do - a_be gang vi. As neighbors, • • More lights becaus • Hav at}i '`es, for ki o keep violence and crime down? because some kids in Yakima begin to ess viol efrom a ng age. ski need protection and prevention work so don't becom • a "e curfew for det • More hbors involvin mak ,criminals feel unwelcome in the neighborhood. • Addres antkhold respo sible landlords who own rental property and constantly rent it out to gang, bers or g dealers. • Having a poli$ face ion his/her vehicle near areas of suspected of criminal activity to discourage ov ` ;a al activity, even if for a short period. • Crack down on school truancy; enforcement needed. • Neighbors need to call police and report crimes as they happen. • Neighbors need to know one another better. • Cameras located on street intersections that can read vehicle license plates. • Law enforcement at the YNHS Depot because Camp Hope services have not relieved homelessness in the neighborhood and there are homeless people who say they can't go to Camp Hope (uncertain of reasoning) • Speaking/being friendly to neighbors • If someone sees something criminal, they should report it. Page 42 of 47 • Report naissance houses • Yakima police officers who also live in this neighborhood • More police presence • Report crime • Be vigilant for outsider • Call the police if you see something suspicious at a neighbors residence • Report suspicious vehicles • Communication • Ensuring YakBack is accessible to as many residents as possible including spanish speaking residents • Have a YakBack telephone number that provides t ` e service as YakBack online for residents who don't have internet access • Report all crime regardless of how small or un %p" rtan , crime may seem. • Report all crime even when suspect has eve .u_ the area. • Call 911 when gunshots are heard; . `°pare heard almos `'" L in this neighborhood but neighbors are afraid to speak out, s` 3'_a sure of who the offen are, or simply don't feel confident talking to law enforcemen • Youth programs • Mutual respect for quiet ho ys 1 neighbors vii. Would "Street Captains" be fu arful w • Yes, affirmative s se rt from res f is toy -" h "Stre • Probably so bu the neig Block Watc am :. ansien ' ` hou"s • Could be help • Some neighbors, wilco. .lace tht ame on a Block Watch list • Ye • .`. y ye creditable. ; Some peop om repo g crime due to fear of having their identity e g := d to the susp oft '_`` me • Yes,'"Ay• g private re losely with law enforcement is very helpful. es who wish to report crime? aptains." d; Difficult to sustain • Yes • Yes viii. What are short 4' ds? • More neighborhoo .'° rums to continue this conversation on public safety. • "Night Out" gatherings for neighbors to meet neighbors. • Inform neighbors of the wanted criminals on Yakima's Crime Stoppers list. • Identify "Street Captains" and create "Street Coordinated Phone Lists." • Getting to know neighbors • Get to know your neighbors • Don't feel fearful of troubled youth - adults need to report criminal youth • Surveillance cameras on intersections • Repair of eroded sidewalks Page 43 of 47 • Handicap ramps • Volunteers for block parties, youth programs, community policing program, and helping protect others • Culturally relevant programs • Sports activities • Open up schools during evening hours • Provide support for educational success and strengthen youth skills • More facilities within walking distance for youth • Transportation options for youth to access youth services (example: bus passes) • Develop stronger resources • Treat kids to positive activities (example: youth fief-�s) • Sidewalk needed on Powerhouse Rd between Liyd Englewood • Sidewalks! • Sidewalks • Trees • Maintain alley ways in descent conditio • Improving south 4th street • Better standards for maintaining lawns/prope ix. What are long term needs? • More police/patrolling in reside • Focus on gang prjye - -> Reformed - -> Encourag • Enable older yo • Redirec . c'ty in • Bpi • • Cle tion and dru reventi uth to da to prov rents� s can diseoura th m joining gangs. Ride -Ale A 94 * police ' r."O in middle school. mentorshia for younger youth. 'ne/alcoh events to youth centers/programming. blighted are he number ending to mums lik • Reduca a bandoneefproperties • Responsi eserve funding for public safety • Revive old p r_ The Alley Cats" • Pool in east Ya • Tutoring services (=' cation support) • Emphasis on family unity and parents as first teachers of youth • Teach (children) love, teach consistency, teach about valuing other people's property, and to be a decent person • Affordable indoor sports activities during (extreme weather in) the winter and summer seasons • More parents willing to volunteer at youth facilities • Access to school facilities for youth activities • Sidewalk and street lighting needed on Powerhouse Rd between Lincoln and Englewood • Strengthening code enforcement Page 44 of 47 • Reducing the amount of non-operating vehicles parked on lawn yards and streets • Reducing homelessness • Validate concerns • Increase awareness about improving public safety • Public safety through environmental design; around the school and inside of school • Sidewalks! • Be consistent with suppressing aggressive pan handling • Be consistent with bike patrolling • Be consistent with code enforcement of non-operating vehicles parked on front lawns • More vigilance • Lighting in alley ways • More street lights • More speed humps • Youth programs • Workshops for kids during after-schod • Stronger PTA • More community engagemen • Satellite police facilities thr • Sharing more information abo • Making gym space more accessi o uphold safe ifferent ne sources int 1 healt x. What else ne ‘.e i o` 1 e`"• :t1 • Can parents eg: discip ." minor who is bei anke a pare �._e this scen• ) s," - r 3u':::x,• . -•:,a ro rhoods ed to support public safety ivities essed fo'"a uh by sp• 'sciplined �a how ne it o • Ho best • Residences th • Heard a neighbor w because uniformed o ,088e8 'e3: 1 :. --..:•• may__::. ineone call i;°s t Is it necess. scene of the`f cc ithout spe. How sho street cap way fo'`` .n ' treet C � d � ore r poke e? Is with L ow does " e YPD handle a call made by a heir parents? How do YPD officers deal with D officers deal with parents who are a crime' a lice officers disclose at the scene who called cers to speak with the individual who called 911 at or a way for witnesses to report a crime immediately as in front of neighbor? report a crime on behalf of a primary witness? What is the in" to be an effective liaison for his/her neighbors? eed to be reported set/felt ignored after reporting a house suspected of selling drugs kers did not arrive to the scene • • Keep school gyms open during after school hours to increase opportunities for kids • Develop a support system to keep young people safe • Many small children unsafely walk home alone to and from school • The creation of a Centro De la Raza community center to improve community pride • Job training opportunities for low-income parents (with the intent to help parents avoid employment that require long work hours and perpetuate the absence of parents in their children's lives) • Early learning support services and high school diploma/GED support services Page 45 of 47 • Youth programs in different parks • Engagement of Yakima School District • Increase engagement of community members • More communication between parents and the Yakima School District • Public report on results of public safety forums • Incentives for police officers to reside in neighborhoods most impacted by crime • Expand Lincoln between 24th and 40th • Police officers can use baseball cards to engage kids to know law enforcement • Schools should mandate parents to "Parent Nights" if they have students in the Yakima School District • Encourage students to speak out about violence and suspicious behavior . 7C • Students don't feel safe reporting peers who are 17 :8 avng,violently or suspiciously • Barb wire on school buildings to prevent act e shooterom having rooftop access • The City of Yakima should directly con hoofs to promote Police community events. • Have more Police community events as'ehool properties. '.may=a • Have crossing guards at high traffic intersections • Alley way next to Adams Elementary Schon-s,poolaintained • Support for removal of trees' - ause sidewalkte - etion xti-i+E • Intersections with deep pothole o:d during hea raining/melted snow • Vehicles are broken into freque but = ohms do not aways report the crime because • • • • • often no arrest is made (leaving peo Cameras do no is %ensure an ar Scammers thatgo home ti Theft of mail - School ock-do procedure Parer' need toknow how their c home le withlittle;confidenc n the 911 reporting system) est will ben s ''''-active shooter situations mases l will bye protected from violence while on school • Pr= tinting studentsfrom ca` 4 g weapons onto school premises • Side�w* on McKm1 . re so$ ey're dangerous • Workingtowimprove sid alk infrastructure better in all areas is important • The City sh'ldn't recreatei another plan similar to Gang Free Initiative (nor fund it) • Is there anything -beim done in the schools to teach about active shooter situations? • Pass ordinance street • Incentivize police officers to live in the neighborhood/area they are assigned to patrol by covering the cost of housing expenses (for as long as the officer resides in the area he/she patrols) res housing developers to construct sidewalks on both sides of • Does the City offer premium pay for bilingual police officers? • Speed bumps shouldn't make drivers slow down to 5mph or lOmph (it's excessive) • Grateful for the neighborhood forums on public safety Page 46 of 47 Page 47 of 47