Gun Violence Prevention Efforts
The Gainesville City Commission has taken a strong stand against the proliferation of gun violence. In early 2023, the Commission voted to declare gun violence a public health crisis and drafted a motion to that effect. The commission held a Gun Violence Prevention Summit and allocated American Rescue Plan Act funds to support gun violence prevention efforts.
Those efforts rely on everyone working together. That is how the trusted messengers, high-risk intervention work, and trauma informed outreach can make a difference. Commissioners and staff have dedicated time and effort to partnering with law enforcement, school officials, neighborhood groups, faith-based organizations, outreach providers and other community stakeholders involved in violence prevention.
City Updates
Compassion
Building relationships through dignity and respect
The Gainesville Police Department’s Neighborhood Policing Initiative, launched in 2020, trains officers and neighbors, together in the areas of community problem solving and policing.
GPD will create a violent crimes task force which will include neighbors and business owners.
We understand that engagement and accountability will be an essential underpinning of our strategy to address violent crime. We must work collaboratively with those most impacted by violent crime to build a sense of respect for the law.
Revision
Analyze, improve and revise
We will actively analyze data on calls for service related to homicides, person(s) shot or shots fired - looking for patterns and other key performance indicators.
We must also measure performance by speaking with our neighbors who live in areas most impacted by violence to determine safety sentiment scores. Strategies and tactics will be modified accordingly.
Interruption
Violence as a public health issue
The Gainesville Police Department has launched a Violence Interrupters Program in our community.
This approach view violence as a preventable epidemic, much like an infectious disease where transmission is prevented. This model works to interrupt the violence transmission cycle by identifying those at high risk of perpetrating violence and provides alternative avenues. Through service offerings like conflict resolution and mediation, GPD is working to change social norms around the acceptance of violence in communities.
Suppression
Place-based policing
Violent crime is often concentrated in limited geographical areas and/or by a small group of persons. Many are repeat violent offenders.
Gainesville Police Department will employ strategic use of data from our Crime Analysis Unit to concentrate enforcement activities on the primary drivers of crime in our communities -- identifying, investigating, arresting, and assisting with the prosecution of the perpetrators.
Prevention
Invest in youth and young adults
Providing educational and extracurricular opportunities for those that need access to mentorship, leadership and structure will be critical in our strategic fight against community violence. GPD’s programs including Heatwave and BOLD have proven successful in creating brighter futures for those they serve.
Gainesville is also a part of One Nation One Project (ONOP) which is a national initiative to use arts and culture to promote community healing and well-being. These art and culture activities aim to address youth gun violence.
We will double our efforts in encouraging and recruiting youth participation in these and other available alternatives.
Other Immediate Tactics
- Reduce the proliferation of illegal guns – Lock Your Car Campaign
- Minimize the number of illegal guns in circulation – Gun Bounty Program
- Employment and economic opportunity
- Mental health and substance use