KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Kalamazoo has seen a sharp decline in homicides this year, and city officials hope it will continue to drop now that a full court press is in place to prevent gun violence.
Murders fell 57%, and shootings were down 49%. 420 guns were seized. Arrests have been made in all 9 homicides this year.
Commissioners approved another piece of the puzzle last night, accepting a $1.250,000 state grant to fund the Blueprint for Peace and beefed-up Kalamazoo Public Safety prevention efforts.
Chief Dave Boysen says their street outreach workers get a lot of the credit because they work directly with young offenders and victims, who are their young brothers and sisters.
Jen Heymoss at the Kalamazoo Foundation says they plan to pay the outreach workers, and set up a training program at KVCC to certify more.
Commissioners got to hear from two of the outreach workers who use their street credibility to convince young offenders there is no future in gun violence.
They are just one facet of the Blueprint for Peace.
For the first time, there will be one focused and unified effort to deter gun violence with training programs, counseling for the victims and help for their families, social service and other programs, some of them operating out of Gryphon Place’s new downtown facility on South Park.
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