KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM)– A national program that takes a carrot and stick approach to fighting gang violence seems to be working in Kalamazoo, but it’s just getting started.It’s called Group Violence Intervention, or GVI.
The “Stick” is the promise of increased enforcement directed at the next group that is involved in a shooting or homicide.
The threat was made during a “Call-in” held in June with identified young adults who are most at risk either shooting someone or being shot.
Chief Jeff Hadley says since then there hasn’t been a single incident of violence.
The Carrot involves offering them community support services to lift themselves out of the poverty that drove them to crime. That too was pitched during the June meeting.
Hadley says they will be tracking it closely over time, but since some elements of the program were introduced in 2014, they have seen shootings and violence cut in half.
