NYC Mayor de Blasio to pay ex-gang members $13 million to act as ‘violence interrupters’

NYC Mayor de Blasio to pay ex-gang members $13 million to act as ‘violence interrupters’

In New York City, ultraliberal Mayor Bill de Blasio has earned the nickname “Bloomberg Lite.” He has promised to resurrect his predecessor’s war on 32-ounce and larger soft drinks, undaunted by the law’s having been struck down by a municipal court and an appeals court.

Like Bloomie, he is also devoutly (read: insanely) anti-Second Amendment. His latest move on this front is so extreme that it may replace the adjective “Lite” in his monicker to “on Steroids.”

Guns.com writes that de Blasio announced plans this week to spend 12.7 million on a “Gun Violence Crisis Management System” to make Gotham’s streets safer:

A key facet of the Mayor’s plan, backed by the City Council, are so-called “violence interrupters.” These interrupters will be seeded in high-crime police precincts to disrupt street crime before it reaches the point of a gun muzzle. This comes as the administration’s response to a 12 percent uptick in shootings this year in the City that Never Sleeps.

“While New York remains the safest big city in the nation and crime has continued to drop citywide, gun violence remains a challenge,” said de Blasio in a release. “With this initiative, we are creating a focused effort incorporating mental health services, legal services, after-school programs—using models of proven success and targeting the communities where nearly half of the city’s shootings occur—into our effort to reduce gun violence and create a safer New York.”

The plan is based on the Cure Violence model, which is designed to treat gun violence as a health care issue. The cure proposed is to identify those likely to be involved in gun violence and have a peer intervene before things get out of hand. Targeting 14 of the highest crime areas of the five boroughs, 2-3 specially trained violence interrupters will be sent into each of the police precincts to help defuse crime before it happens.

But the best part of the plan is the identity of the “violence interrupters.” They are to be former reformed gang members who will not only negotiate disputes to keep the peace but will win the hearts and minds of current gang members and supply them with information on alternative support services.

(h/t Weasel Zippers)

LU Staff

LU Staff

Promoting and defending liberty, as defined by the nation’s founders, requires both facts and philosophical thought, transcending all elements of our culture, from partisan politics to social issues, the workings of government, and entertainment and off-duty interests. Liberty Unyielding is committed to bringing together voices that will fuel the flame of liberty, with a dialogue that is lively and informative.

Comments

For your convenience, you may leave commments below using Disqus. If Disqus is not appearing for you, please disable AdBlock to leave a comment.