LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Louisville Metro Police Department said officers have taken more than 2,000 guns off this street this year, part of 71 federal indictments. Now, city council members are hoping to provide a new blueprint for Louisville's violence intervention programs.
The program's goal is to stop shootings in Louisville before they even start by providing alternatives to violence. A possible solution was discussed Thursday during a Metro Council meeting called by Mark Fox, who represents District 13.
LMPD Deputy Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, who attended the meeting, said the program targets individuals who have been flagged with a high probability of committing a violent crime.
"We are going after those individuals who are the drivers of crime," she said.
The violence intervention program was created in 2020 by Mayor Greg Fischer and has largely been centered around call-ins and face-to-face meetings where police meet with violent offenders.
Fox in the past has criticized the program and how it executes its initiative. During Thursday's meeting, he presented data from the book "Don’t Shoot" by author David Kennedy. The book highlights how large cities could combat crime.
According to Fox, the book is a model Louisville should use.
Mark Fox, who represents Louisville's 13th District on the Metro Council, discusses possible solutions to Louisville's violent crime. (WDRB photo)
"In the other cities where it has been tried, it's been very impactful," Fox said, adding that it has lowered violent crime there by 41%.
"This plan is the best one I have read in the four years that I have been in this office."
The plan "involves a number of services that are available to folks most likely to be involved in group violence or youth violence. Basically, these members of groups that have been involved in violence are offered social services on the front end, things like an education, things like jobs, things like even housing in some cases.
"They're offered the support of the faith community, and the interesting thing about this is it even involves the families of prior violence victims. So it has kind of a touch of restorative justice in it, where the victims of a past homicide are facing these largely young men and giving them opportunities to get out of that life."
Fox said everyone involved in the program hopes they take advantage of that opportunity.
LMPD’s current crime data presented shows a 10% reduction in homicides compared to last year.
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