As gun violence continues to plague some American cities, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has seen a significant decrease in shootings. According to Cedar Rapids Police Interim Chief Tom Jonker, the number of shots- fired-incidents in 2023 was the lowest the department had seen in the last five years. ¹

But as welcome as these statistics are, Captain Charlie Fields, Commander of the Cedar Rapids Police Department (CRPD) Community Service Division, said, “These are just numbers. The real success is in the public’s perception of safety, which has greatly increased in our communities.”

GVI, a holistic approach to prevention

The city attributes this positive development to its adoption of Group Violence Intervention (GVI), a local collaboration to reduce gun violence in which law enforcement, social services, and community members work together to eliminate barriers and deliver a credible message against violence for individuals at the highest risk of committing these acts, typically boys and young men between ages 14 and 25.

An outgrowth of the recommendations in the 2017 final report of the Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities (SET) Task Force—created in 2016 by the Cedar Rapids City Council, the Cedar Rapids Community School District, and the Linn County Board of Supervisors—GVI was adopted to address the societal and economic conditions that drive crime and to help those most vulnerable to it.

Implementation of the GVI strategy is led by Foundation 2, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals in crisis, in collaboration with the CRPD, local social service agencies, and community members. It is funded by the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation and Linn County Public Health’s Preventing Violence Against Young Lives (PREVAYL) program.

Custom notifications deliver a strong message

One example of the CRPD and Foundation 2’s collaboration is Custom Notifications, which are credible messages against violence delivered in person. The message delivered to young people identified for a Custom Notification states that though they are not in trouble, the activity they’re engaging in can not only lead to legal consequences but also put their personal safety and the safety of their loved ones in jeopardy.

These individuals are identified by the CRPD’s Police Community Action Team (PCAT) and the department’s Intelligence Analyst. The PCAT patrols at-risk neighborhoods, getting to know the people and support the community. Along long with the Intelligence Analyst, they also gather information through social media networking sites. Said Captain Fields, “Through these sources, we can see how kids are related to each other, and if they are not getting along, see incidents already happening or about to occur.”

Custom Notifications are delivered directly to these individuals, usually at home or school, by an officer from the PCAT along with a community member and a Foundation 2 Community Outreach worker.

Said Captain Fields, “We hand them a letter that says if they are involved in crime, we will hold them accountable. Then we turn to Foundation 2 to connect them with the outreach program and other supports. Our focus is mostly crime prevention, but through collaboration with Foundation 2, PCAT addresses quality of life issues as well.”

To that end, the CRPD’s PCAT officers delivered 75 Custom Notifications in 2022 and 39 in 2023, all of which were followed up by members of the Foundation 2 Community Outreach team.

Foundation 2 Outreach provides support

After reiterating the CRPD’s message, the Outreach Worker offers help. If it is accepted, the Outreach Worker helps the client develop goals and connects them to resources that address needs such as food insecurity, transportation barriers, medical or behavioral health issues, and more. Though the initial contact is with those individuals identified at risk for violence, Foundation 2 extends access to these resources to family and close relatives as well.

According to Foundation 2 Program Coordinator Lisa Jordan, Outreach Workers usually have 20 to 25 high-risk clients who have chosen to be part of their Violence Prevention Program. Each of these individuals receives support in working toward their goals, which can include finding employment, securing permanent housing, or meeting court requirements.

Said Foundation 2 Program Manager Renae Koth, “After getting parents’ consent for juveniles to become active clients, the Outreach Worker meets with the youth twice a month, individually or in a small group. We also connect them with service providers who are active participants in the GVI strategy implementation. We work with parents to provide the resources they need too. One way we do this is by hosting regular Mothers Meetings. Though these meetings, parents support each other, letting the other participating mothers know when something is going on that may affect their children, for instance. We also offer counseling and connection to a variety of resources during these meetings.”

Outreach Workers engage with young people in fun activities as well, taking them to NASCAR races, fishing, or shooting baskets at the YMCA. “Whatever interests them, we do it,” said Hesh Alsafi, a Foundation 2 Outreach Worker.

Collaboration with the criminal justice system

One of the SET Task Force’s recommendations was that law enforcement, probation officers, and social services collaborate to provide support to young men and women in the community who have been offenders or are at risk of becoming so.

Said Captain Fields, “Since we are dealing mostly with juveniles, we’ve built a relationship with the juvenile court system and juvenile probation officers. In addition, we have partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Linn County Attorney’s office, and the Iowa Department of Corrections Sixth District Judicial Probation and Parole. We want to get the message to young people that we can help them navigate through the juvenile justice system.

“To do this, we are holding Juvenile Information Sessions for groups of young people and family members. A CRPD officer, a representative from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and one from the Linn County Attorney’s Office speak to the group about law enforcement, the juvenile justice system, and what happens to young people when they commit different crimes.”

Foundation 2 members also speak to the group. Then three individuals from the community—representing the Voice of Hope, the Voice of Redemption, and the Voice of Pain—address them. At the end of the meeting, attendees can get set up with services such as housing, after school programs, or mental health providers, which are available on site.

Another collaborative effort is the GVI strategy for responding to victims of violence, which is to deliver a strong message against violence while supporting members of the community who have been impacted by it. Said Captain Fields, “After a traumatic event, we go out together with a community member and a Foundation 2 Street Outreach Worker, like we do with the Custom Notifications, to offer help directly to victims in their homes.” Asked what advice he would give to agencies interested in GVI or a similar program, Fields said, “Be open to discussing the community’s needs with groups like social services. Often law enforcement is closed to sharing information outside their own network. At the end of the day, we are all working for the same goals, and we have to trust each other.”

Faye C. Elkins
Sr. Technical Writer
COPS Office

References:

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1. https://www.cedar-rapids.org/local_government/departments_g_-_v/police/statistics.php

Image Courtesy of Cedar Rapids Police Department.

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