London Borough of Hackney’s Post

Last night, we lost another innocent life. A 7-year-old boy was tragically killed in a gang-related drive-by shooting in Jacksonville, and a man, a son, a loved one, is now fighting for his life. This isn’t just a headline. It’s a family’s nightmare. It’s a child who won’t get to grow up. I sit here watching my own children play, and reading about this incident really pissed me off. We’ve spent so many years trying to combat violence in our communities. We’ve attended the meetings, implemented the programs, and raised awareness. But we know that these efforts alone are not enough. It’s time for action. Dangerous individuals who commit violent acts must be taken seriously, and we must ensure they are held accountable. To my brothers and sisters in law enforcement: we have a critical role to play in this fight. We are on the front lines, tasked with ensuring justice for victims and safety for our neighborhoods. But we cannot do it alone. The badge we wear is a symbol of service and partnership with the community. We must continue to engage, build trust, and show our commitment to creating a safer future. To our community members: your role is just as important. You are the eyes and ears of our neighborhoods, and your courage is vital in this fight. Support your officers as they work tirelessly to solve cases and bring justice to victims. Speak up when you see or know something. Testify in court when called upon, even when it’s difficult. Be brave for your children, your neighbors, and your community. Your voice can make the difference between justice served and another act of violence going unanswered. Together, we have to double down on prevention by providing mentorship, creating opportunities, and showing our youth a better path before violence finds them. We must also act with urgency, holding those who commit violence accountable for their actions. This is our fight, for our families and for our kids. It will take all of us…law enforcement and the community. Our children are counting on us to do better. Let’s not let them down. #ProtectOurKids #EndGunViolence #StrongerTogether https://lnkd.in/eAK9WFVC

At our latest book club meeting, we delved into this article, published earlier this year by The New York Times, about addressing gun violence in Baton Rouge. Community members, the chief of police, and the mayor’s office are working together to replicate the Newark method, a community-based violence prevention effort credited with significantly decreasing crime in Newark, New Jersey.   🔍 The Challenge: Federal funding has traditionally favored law enforcement efforts over community-based programs. This funding gap creates a seemingly impenetrable cycle where "proven programs" continue to receive support while emerging initiatives struggle to secure the necessary resources to establish their effectiveness.   📊 The Solution: Communities in Baton Rouge and Newark are tackling this challenge by prioritizing data collection. In Newark, this included partnering with the UCLA Social Justice Research Partnership to conduct a narrative evaluation* of the Newark Street Team. Our team read the narrative evaluation, discussing the crucial funding and rigor required to support these community efforts and measure their success.   💡 Fun Fact: The Newark Community Street Team is a partner in the South Ward Promise Neighborhood, which our Senior Project Director, Caroline Taggart, evaluates.      *Narrative Evaluation- https://lnkd.in/e-WqMYXr #CommunitySafety #ViolencePrevention #DataDriven #Evaluation #CommunityEngagement  

Operation Sandblast was just the second (after Operation April Fools) multi-agency initiative to take out foreign nationals inside our country preying on low income EBT recipients. #Skimmers are a low-tech fraud scheme that has been around for over 20 years - perfected by Romanians in California in the late 90s. This is one side of the issue plaguing #SNAP and #TANF recipients. Fraudsters drain their EBT cards after capturing info with their skimmer devices. Operation Sandblast even recovered skimmers with chip-reading technology. (So much for "chips on cards will fix this"!) The hi-tech version is #AccountTakeOver in which fraudsters (from the comfort of their lounge chairs overseas) script bot-attacks using common PIN numbers to EBT vendor portals. Third party apps meant to help provide #EBT info at their fingertips are but one tool used. They also use spoofed Point-of-Sale devices to send the balance inquiries - cards and #PINs that match are drained from another hacked POS device (meant to look like a Big Box store to avoid #FNS scrutiny). The primary victims here are real needy and hungry recipients who depend on #TANF cash assistance and #SNAP food assistance - both loaded on the same EBT card. The second victim are the taxpayers funding these programs despite the antiquated technologies and program rules. Finally, public confidence and trust in government administration is lost. And with that, the programs face cutbacks and restrictions. Thank you Secret Service for tackling this problem you inherited.

Commerce’s Office of Firearm Safety and Violence Prevention - Community Safety Unit is accepting applications for the State Crisis Intervention Program through Sept. 8. This grant funding is to help jurisdictions in need of additional capacity and tools to safely secure, store, track, and return relinquished firearms. It's aimed at adhering to firearms relinquishment laws and orders like Orders to Surrender and Prohibit Weapons and Extreme Risk Protection Orders. Eligible jurisdictions include cities, counties, towns, townships, and federally recognized tribes. • Tribal pre-proposal conference: Aug. 7 at 1:30 p.m., Join on Zoom: https://heyor.ca/JtTZhU • General pre-proposal conference: Aug. 8, 2024, at 1:30 p.m., Join on Zoom: https://heyor.ca/bAQf5u • Proposals Due: Sept. 8 More information: https://heyor.ca/RBR1An

Threat assessment is so crucial. And absolutely must be THOROUGH and ONGOING. From my viewpoint and experience, it's very rarely a 'one and done'. Stay vigilant. Write plans, set future meetings/timelines for plan reviews and revisions for the POC ~ and don't ever just assume you're done and they're good.

Lansing has long grappled with gun violence, but today, we are equipped with new strategies to address this pressing issue. The Lansing Empowerment Network, alongside our dedicated team, is delving deep into the core of the problem, striving to unveil solutions through our collaborative Lansing360 GVP weekly meetings. Our progress includes the inception of the pioneering Critical Incident Community planned response (CI-CPR) for Community Gun assault incidents. Initiating discussions with U of M Sparrow, we aim to introduce a Hospital-based Violence Intervention Program (HVIP) tailored to Lansing. Additionally, we are enhancing accessibility to LPD's Complaint process to ensure it serves all the citizens of Lansing effectively. By uniting stakeholders across various sectors within the city, we have fostered real-time connections to swiftly address conflicts that bureaucratic hurdles have hindered in the past. Together, we are steering Lansing towards a safer future, with our community at the forefront of this transformative journey. #EMPOWERLANSING.org

In the wake of an unsettling incident at UNLV, it's imperative we talk about recognizing the signs of targeted violence. 🚨 How can we differentiate between random acts and deliberate threats in our communities? Join us as we delve into an analysis by a former FBI expert, shedding light on the targeted nature of the UNLV shooting. This discussion aims to empower us with knowledge to potentially prevent future tragedies. #SafetyFirst #CommunityAwareness #ViolencePrevention #UNLVStrong

Strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit One Detroit Partnership Announces the 3rd Annual Unified Summer Enforcement, Prevention, and Reentry Strategy Targeting Designated High Crime Areas in Detroit https://wp.me/p9gxja-38Y OIPOL & OIJUST Operating in USA / Communication by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of Michigan. Thursday, May 23, 2024. Cooperation and edition Oipol & Oijust, June 01, 2024.- DETROIT - Today (may 23), United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison, along with Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan, Wayne County Prosecuting Attorney Kym Worthy, and Detroit Police Chief James E. White, announced the third annual Summer Surge, a targeted strategy aimed at reducing gun violence in Detroit. The Surge, which is a product of the continuing collaboration of the One Detroit partnership, will focus on Detroit’s 8th and 9th Precincts—the precincts with the highest rates of violence in the city. And this year, the One Detroit partners will also concentrate on Detroit’s public spaces to ensure they are safe.