TAMPA, Fla. – A whole lot of youngsters might see a optimistic influence simply by the one grant. Tampa police and native nonprofit Secure and Sound Hillsborough are centered on connecting with youngsters earlier than they decide up a gun.
“Preventing crime is not only a police factor, it’s a group factor,” mentioned Chief Lee Bercaw of the Tampa Police Division.
What we all know:
A brand new grant from FDLE for group violence intervention is one other instrument in that struggle.
Tampa police and Secure and Sound Hillsborough are working collectively to make use of the grant to concentrate on youngsters, particularly whereas they’re out of faculty.
“If we don’t give them one thing constructive to do, sadly, we’ll see that they get in bother. We’ll see juvenile arrests improve,” mentioned Freddy Barton, the manager director of Secure and Sound Hillsborough.
What they’re saying:
Barton mentioned their purpose is to succeed in 500 kids, and the grant helps with that by increasing gun prevention packages they have already got.
“That is giving at the very least one other $200,000 to $250,000 straight into packages and companies. So, we’ve been in a position to convey on a program supervisor in addition to a case supervisor to work with a few of our deeper finish youth,” mentioned Barton.
It expands psychological wellness companies and out-of-school alternatives for teenagers and extra.
“We’ve constructed an officer and youth element the place each week we’ve officers partaking with a few of the youth in our program,” mentioned Barton.
By the numbers:
Tampa police say constructing these relationships issues and prevents youth from including to town’s crime numbers.
“So far as the crime goes itself, gun violence is down, and we’re seeing extra individuals securing their automobiles, locking them up, taking their weapons out. They’re heeding our warnings as a result of our auto burglaries involving firearms are down this yr,” mentioned Bercaw.
TPD additionally mentioned homicides are down 40% within the first quarter this yr, so group leaders assist any optimistic influence.
“To know that we’ve acquired 10 organizations for an preliminary pot of at the very least $50,000 to begin to do packages all all through subsequent week for our first annual Tampa Youth Violence Prevention Week, it’s large,” mentioned Barton.
What’s subsequent:
Secure and Sound mentioned they’ll communicate with households that join with them throughout Tampa Youth Violence Prevention Week, which is able to launch Sunday by the following week. To seek out out extra info, go to the packages tab at safeandsoundhillsborough.org.
The Supply: The knowledge on this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Briona Arradondo, and incorporates particulars from the Tampa Police Division and Secure and Sound Hillsborough.
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