STOP the Violence
News & Updates
|
|
The City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Office exists is to change the community narrative about violence and stop the spread of the disease of violence in the City. While we are concerned as well with the surrounding areas and will share solutions and events in those areas, we only have jurisdiction in the City.
This issue of the STOP the Violence Newsletter focuses on things you should know and do to prevent violence. Trauma remediation deals with the effects of violence and works to prevent lingering effects. Positive engagement with police enables community members and police to work together to maintain community safety. Citizens and Student Police Academies promote learning and engagement among citizens and police. Domestic violence, including dating and relationship violence, is a critically important issue affecting all communities which needs much more public understanding and discussion.
Please share this Newsletter with people in your networks. We would like everyone in the City to see it because it will take all of us speaking and working together to STOP the Violence! If you're interested in helping, click HERE.
Special Training: We are seeking individuals and organizations that want to play an active role in violence prevention efforts. A virtual training for all STOP the Violence volunteers will be conducted on Thursday March 25 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. If you're interested in attending, click HERE.
Partners Outside of the City: We are also seeking people and groups in communities outside of the City of Pittsburgh to learn our approaches to violence prevention and become active in speaking out and organizing against violence. If you want to get your community or group involved, click HERE.
Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh
STOP The Violence Newsletter
|
|
|
Poll #1: I would be interested in volunteering or learning more about (select 1 only):
|
|
Domestic Violence Prevention
|
|
|
|
|
Violence Prevention Efforts in Allegheny County Outside of the City
|
|
|
|
|
Public Safety Councils (featured in the January 2021 Newsletter)
|
|
|
|
|
Greater Pittsburgh Area Mad Dads (featured in the October 2020 Newsletter)
|
|
|
|
|
Other volunteer opportunities
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Solution:
Trauma Response Team
of Neighborhood Resilience Project
|
|
Gun violence traumatizes an entire neighborhood, not just the families of the victims or shooters. The neighborhoods which are most affected by gun-violence are also the most neglected by mental-health resources. The Trauma Response Team, a project of the Neighborhood Resilience Project, exists to fill these gaps in trauma care in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County by deploying to neighborhoods within 48-hours of a gun involved homicide. The Trauma Response Team’s base is a 28-foot recreational vehicle (known as the Trauma Response Vehicle or TRV) loaded with volunteers trained to offer compassion and stabilization to traumatized neighbors. |
|
Said Rev. Paul Abernathy, Executive Director of the Neighborhood Resilience Project (pictured, right), “after a homicide, every time a vehicle passes you, wave, because people get real nervous. The tragic reality is that violence far too often leads to more violence, trauma begets trauma, and hurting people hurt people. We are working to stabilize the community and end this cycle.”
Upon arrival, team members canvass the neighborhood, speaking with residents and providing psychological and mental health care while attempting to calm fears and stop violence. They only engage with community members who express openness in speaking. Says team manager Dan Emerick, “our only mission is to meet people where they are and connect them with trauma support.”
According to Staci, a volunteer: “Being a Trauma Responder means a lot to me because I am able to support individuals that may not know how to ask for support. Sometimes they don’t even realize that they need support because they are so overwhelmed with the trauma. Sometimes just being there at that time along with a smile and even an ear means the world to a person dealing with a trauma.”
|
|
Trauma is real. As an example of their work, Emerick (pictured, right) recalls this deployment: “Not long ago we deployed to a homicide scene in the City. It was an extremely cold day and nobody was outside – people weren’t even looking out of the window to see who we were in our orange vests carrying 2-way radios. After deciding to take another lap around the block, we encountered a family member of the victim and her friend who was there for support. Despite the bitter cold, she was eager to talk with our team.
"We were able to normalize some of her trauma symptoms and reassure her that some of her trauma symptoms were normal and didn’t mean she was crazy or weak. We provided age-specific information on coping with trauma and referred her to several resources that could help with trauma and victim’s compensation.
"She and her friend received these gratefully and both of them indicated that they would be interested in therapy services. We exchanged contact information to discuss scheduling for trauma therapy and agreed on intervals when she would be comfortable with follow-up and check-in phone calls. Although she was still grieving and in-shock, she seemed relieved to have some helpful resources who could help her navigate the aftermath of her tragedy. It was a heavy conversation for our team as well, but we left feeling grateful that we could help this family member in her time of need.”
Need for more volunteers. They respond to as many homicides as possible, limited by the number of volunteers. This year, as of Friday March 5, the Trauma Response Team deployed 13 times to 15 reported homicides in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County. From October-December 2020, it deployed 18 times to 23 homicides.
Said Roxanne, a volunteer: “Being a Trauma Responder is an opportunity to give back to my community by being present in a time of need. Survivors of violence can have a variety of needs. I wanted to be able to make a difference by being that person that could lend an ear when someone needed to talk, or give a hug when someone just wanted to be held or offer a prayer if that is what is asked of me.”
Are you interested? All Trauma Response Team members are volunteers who are provided with free training in the skills necessary to respond in these crisis situations. If you are interested in being considered for the Trauma Response Team, you can apply here: Trauma Response Team Application. For additional information, please contact Dan Emerick at demerick@neighborhoodresilience.org or 412-951-5725.
|
|
Solution:
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
Community Engagement Office (CEO)
|
|
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Community Engagement Office envisions a safe, secure community where citizens and police build real relationships based on mutual trust and respect. |
|
Recognizing the need for improved relationships with the residents of the City of Pittsburgh, Chief Scott Schubert created the Community Engagement Office (CEO) in September 2009. Directed by Sergeant Tiffany Kline-Costa (pictured, right), the CEO “works to enhance the relationship between citizens and law enforcement through addressing community needs, building strong relationships based on trust, and partnering with neighbors to focus on improved public safety.”
“The Community Engagement Office strives to partner with neighbors, community leaders, and non-profit organizations to build trust, relationships and improve public safety. The reality is that public safety means different things to different communities. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, so that means observing, listening and being open to finding solutions that work for individual communities,” said Sergeant Kline-Costa.
|
|
The CEO brings together the Community Resource Officers and Neighborhood Officers from each zone who, as a team, are able to share best practices, support new ideas, and increasing positive interactions with residents. The CEO also coordinates and encourages active participation by Police in the community, including collaborative responses to citizens’ concerns about safety.
“The most recent example of this is that we are working directly with people who live in Brighton Heights on the Northside to address incidences of violence in the area. Together, police and residents decided upon an extensive walk together through the neighborhood t pinpoint specific areas of concern and how best to address them together,” said Kline-Costa.
During 2020, the CEO was involved in hundreds of diverse events and activities that touched thousands of people of all ages. These included: safety walks, peace walks, visits to Kindergarten through 12th grade classrooms, after-school programs, summer camps, group discussions and sharing with youth and adults, youth summits, college class presentations.
|
|
Partners have included Pittsburgh Public Schools, Hope 4 Tomorrow, Voices Against Violence, Pittsburgh Pirates, CISP Program, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carnegie Science Center, Manchester Academic Charter School, Brookline Teen Outreach Center, Raising Readers, Coalition Against Violence, Infinite Lifestyle Solutions, Pittsburgh Steelers, 3rd Avenue Boxing Gym, and Laurel Highlands Scoutreach Troop, Casa San Jose, Omega Psi Phi and Global Links.
The CEO also partnered with churches, senior citizens programs, CitiParks, Rivers Casino, Feed the Hood, and many others to distribute food all over the City, including the very popular Stuffed With Love Thanksgiving meal distribution.
Innovative programs have included “Text-a-Cop", Cops and HOOPS, creation of baseball cards featuring local police officers, Need a Mask-Take a Mask (distributing nearly 100,000 masks at no charge), and The Inside-Out Exchange Program where police academy recruits meet regularly and study with incarcerated men behind prison walls.
Also last year, the CEO coordinated the participation of Pittsburgh Police in numerous pandemic- inspired birthday, anniversary, and graduation parades. During the Christmas holiday season, the CEO was busy distributing toys, coats and other gifts to over 1,000 children of families in need and partnering with groups throughout the City.
|
|
Aundre Wright
Neighborhood Resource Officer
Aundre Wright (right) is the Zone 3 Neighborhood Resource Officer for Carrick and, like all Neighborhood and Community Resource Officers, is also a member of the Community Engagement Office. In this role, he is responsible for building relationships and fostering trust in the community.
|
|
Officer Wright was a City League football star, graduated from Perry Traditional Academy in 2006, then played football at Pitt (see photo right) until he was injured. After graduating from Pitt in 2011, he worked lots of different jobs including construction, school bus driving, security, and Fed Ex, before joining the Pittsburgh Police.
He tried policing because he wanted to help his community. He really enjoys forming relationships with community members and helping them see a new side
|
|
of the police. He says “people, especially crime victims, are really surprised that I actually follow through and care about the outcome after my official duties are over.”
One success story he relates: “Four years ago, when I was assigned to a recreation center, I met a kid who, at age 14, was a regular kid without much direction and you could say he was a street kid. I played basketball with the kids there, started seeing him regularly and got to know him. I guess I earned his respect by being there consistently and we started talking about everything – life stuff. I even saw him on the streets a few times, once where a fight was getting ready to break out and I told him to go home and he did. I would stop by his home occasionally to say hello and see how he was doing. Once, after he abruptly changed schools and the old school didn’t know where he was, I found him at the new school and settled that situation. Another time, a school bus driver called because he was upset at some bad behavior on the bus and I showed up, saw my young friend, got him off the bus and took him to school.
|
|
“Over the years, I’ve given him lots of advice on everything from how to behave as a black man to what to wear to an interview and tie a necktie. He’s now in a vocational training program and I think has a bright future. But without the time we spent together, I don’t know where he’d be today, at age 18. Unfortunately, he’d probably have gotten involved with the criminal justice system and may even be in jail. I just cared too much to let that happen. And I care about all of the youth in the community. If they want my, or our, help, we’ll be there for them.” |
|
Brian Shelton
Neighborhood Resource Officer
Brian Shelton (left) is the Zone 3 Neighborhood Resource Officer for Allentown and, like all Neighborhood and Community Resource Officers, is also a member of the Community Engagement Office. In this role, he is responsible for building relationships and fostering trust in the community. “Who better to police the city than someone who grew up here? I like having a chance to represent my city every day,” said Officer Shelton.
|
|
|
Officer Shelton was born and raised in the Hill District and graduated from Schenley High School in 2001. He started his college career at Hampton University studying engineering, but found it too boring. So he switched majors to Criminology and graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2005. My goal was to word for the FBI, but after 9-11-2001, the FBI started focusing on terrorism and wanted people who spoke different languages, so he changed his focus.
During college, he had an internship with the Wilkinsburg police (where his parents lived) and really got interested in local policing because he saw that what they did was much more interesting than what he had seen on television! They were really meeting and helping people, facing different challenges and meeting new needs every day. After college, he worked several different jobs (like security and store management) while trying to get a position in policing.
|
|
Officer Shelton relates that “I took the state police test and the Pittsburgh Police test several times and had to wait several years before finally being called by the Pittsburgh Police to continue the hiring process. I completed training in 2016 and started on the job. I like doing new things every day and having a chance to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Since I grew up in this community and know the challenges people face, I can respond appropriately to the situations I encounter. I really enjoy interacting with kids, talking to them about life and responsibility and choices they can make.”
“I want community members to know that we’re part of the same community they are and we want to help. I realize that there’s a long history of distrust between black communities and police, going way back. When I was in my teenage years, I didn’t like police either. But later on, after I had a chance to see things from the inside, I realized that crime prevention starts with the community and police working together. When you don’t call the police after seeing something damaging to the community going on, you allow more bad things to happen.”
|
|
“I got to know a kid in Carrick who had some problems, got into fights on the streets, and the police were called. I just talked and interacted with him whenever we saw him and he straightened up. Last week we saw him on the streets and he remembered our names! He told us that he’s now working and planning for the future. I know that my words helped change his life. I wasn’t always the best kid either, but I learned. We don’t just want to put handcuffs on someone, we want them to understand what they did and why to avoid certain people and places. To see someone flourish in the community is a great feeling.” |
“More trust would absolutely reduce violence. The stigma of distrust is learned from our grandparents. Young kids tend to like the police, but older kids have seen more and their attitude changes. My message is: don’t be afraid: there’s a stigma of community vs police. We’re a part of you. And we’ve stepped up to say that we’ll look after our communities. When we go to a call – major or minor – we aren’t looking at race or anything else. We’re here to help. When people don’t call the police after seeing something happen, that’s a problem. Crime prevention all starts with the community and police working together.”
|
|
Solutions:
Citizens Police Academy
Sign Up Now!
|
|
For many years, the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police has sponsored a Citizens Police Academy, an opportunity for citizens in the Pittsburgh community to meet some police officers, get a sample of police training and be exposed to the operations of the Police Bureau. Spring 2021 will be the first time the Citizens Police Academy will be offered virtually.
Said one past Citizens Police Academy participant: “I never knew how many duties officers had and how many laws and procedures they had to know and how much specialized knowledge many of the officers had. It was really invaluable to me.”
Participants receive three hours of training one evening each week in many of the varied functions of law enforcement.
Topics typically include the basics of criminal law, search and seizure, patrol tactics, processing of a crime scene, how police canines are used, and the functions of many of the specialty police units.
|
|
Graduation day from a 2017
Citizens Police Academy
|
Students should leave this training with a greater understanding of the police mission and with an increased ability to see how the police serve the community.
Please note: This program is not an accredited certification course to become a sworn police officer.
If you’re interested, please complete an application and give permission for the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police to conduct a background check. The deadline for applications is Friday March 26, 2021.
The application can be found HERE.
|
|
Solutions:
Pittsburgh Student Police Academy (SPA)
Coming Summer of 2021
|
|
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police sponsors an opportunity for High School students in the Pittsburgh community to become closely acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau. The Pittsburgh Student Police Academy brings the police and Pittsburgh’s high school community closer together in a setting that offers a sample of police training to each participant.
Applications are being accepted for the summer session of the Student Police Academy (SPA) until Friday, June 18, 2021. The academy is open to all interested rising high school students in grades 9-12, whether they live inside or outside of the City of Pittsburgh.
Classes will be taught virtually from 6:00 to 8:00 pm starting Tuesday, June 22, 2021 via Microsoft TEAMS. The SPA meets weekly for 8 weeks. The academy exposes students to some of the experiences they might have just as if they were cadets training at the Pittsburgh Police Academy to be police officers.
According to John Tokarski, SaferTogether Coordinator and facilitator of the SPA: “a student who enrolls in our academy should expect to leave with at least three wonderful experiences!
“First, students will better understand the breadth of education, understanding of policy and
|
|
Above: Graduation day from a previous
Student Police Academy
|
importance of relevant statues that factor in the various decisions that police officers must make on a daily basis...often within a split second.
“Second, teens will have a forum to meet and get to know police officers from our Police Bureau's various divisions (uniform, detectives, bomb squad, S.W.A.T., vice & narcotics, K-9, etc.) simply as human beings...and vice-versa!
“Finally, it will expose students to potential careers in criminal justice and/or as first responders. Those careers could be with the Pittsburgh Police, or in a county, state or federal law enforcement agency or any other of the many other areas of criminal justice, including forensic science, law, and others.”
The Application form and Permission Slip (pictured below) can be found HERE.
|
|
Are You Aware?
Teen Dating/Relationship Violence
|
|
RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE IS A PATTERN OF BEHAVIORS ONE PARTNER USES TO CONTROL THE OTHER |
|
According to local trauma therapist Dr. Staci Ford (pictured, right), one out of every three teens is affected by dating abuse or violence.
Dr. Ford recalls that “earlier this year I was referred to a teen girl that was in a relationship with the father of her child. The relationship had been abusive both mentally and physically and there had been drug and alcohol use, but she was afraid to leave because she did not know what to do or where to go and her child was ready to be removed. The referring agency tried to support her but she kept going back to this harmful relationship.”
“I helped her put a safety plan in place, set up childcare, get a job and get on her feet financially. After 3 months of meeting 3 days a week and talking 2 days a week, she regained her self-esteem and learned that she could thrive on her own. She now has full custody of her child, has her own apartment, working and going back to school. Her future is bright.”
Do you have concerns about your teen’s relationship? Do you know the difference between a healthy relationship and an abusive one? Have you talked to your teen about dating abuse or violence?
While 82% of parents feel confident that they would be able to recognize if their teen was experiencing dating violence, over half of these parents could not correctly identify the warning signs of abuse.
Each teen deals with the trauma caused by abuse differently. A few of the signs of possible abuse are: a teen shutting down, staying in their room, overeating, undereating, being moody, angry, or acting out behaviorally.
If you’ve seen any behavioral, physical or emotional changes in your teen that you don’t understand, educate yourself and get help!
Here are a a few places to go for information and help:
-
Dr. Staci Ford, a therapist for individuals dealing with any kind of trauma. Contact her at 412-277-4616 or drstaci4life@gmail.com
-
Center for Victims at 1-866-644-2882
-
Women’s Center & Shelter's 24-hour hotline at 412-687-8005
or text to 412-744-8445
-
Use the Women's Center's RU Safe app to determine whether you are at risk. Find it here: RUSafe?
-
How to obtain a Protection From Abuse order: PFA Info
-
Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Domestic Violence Unit at 412-323-7250. The Pittsburgh Police Domestic Violence Resource Guide is printed below. Call 911 if you are in danger.
|
|
Solutions:
STOP the Violence Prayer Team
|
|
Stopping violence will take the efforts of the entire community – a community movement. The ultimate objective of the City’s STOP the Violence office is to convert a culture of violence into a culture of non-violence. One component of this movement is the STOP the Violence Prayer Team.
“I believe that prayer changes things and the more people praying for the same things, the better,” said the Reverend Cornell Jones, formerly a chaplain at Western Penitentiary and now the City’s Group Violence Intervention Coordinator.
If you can commit to praying for the City’s anti-violence efforts, please sign up. You will receive periodic updates on prayer concerns and success stories, as well as information on other volunteer opportunities that you can pray for and share.
|
|
Rev. Cornell Jones
A training for all STOP the Violence volunteers (including Prayer Team members) will be conducted on Thursday March 25 from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. If you can attend, please sign up HERE.
The STOP the Violence Prayer Team needs leaders. If you are interested in leading or praying, please sign up HERE.
|
|
Media Coverage:
Black Pittsburgh Matters Will Feature STOP the Violence
March 24, 2021
The Black Pittsburgh Matters television show hosted by City Councilmen Reverend Ricky Burgess and Daniel Lavelle will feature the City’s Health, Safety, and Violence Prevention Initiative on Wednesday March 24 at 6:00 pm. The program can be seen on the Pittsburgh City Cable TV Channel, the City's YouTube Channel and on the City's Facebook page.
|
|
Black Pittsburgh Matters
January 27, 2021
The STOP the Violence Office was featured on the January 27, 2021 edition of the Black Pittsburgh Matters television show. Guests were Jay Gilmer, STOP the Violence Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, Von Madden, President/CEO of Shadow Student Athlete Development Services and member of the Group Violence Intervention Reach Outreach team, Valerie Dixon, Director of Family and Community Support at the Center for Victims and a member of the Group Violence Intervention Pittsburgh Outreach team, and Laura Drogowski, Critical Communities Manager for the City of Pittsburgh.
|
|
Click on the picture above to see the entire television show. |
|
WPXI-TV-February 5: The Newsletter made an appearance on the WPXI television news last month. The story also featured Jay Gilmer and Rev. Cornell Jones who stated that "this is the start of a community movement against violence." Thanks to Michele Newell for her interest. Hopefully more media attention will come. To see the story, just click the box.
|
|
Learning:
Group Violence Intervention +
|
|
Group Violence Intervention (GVI) is a strategy to reduce shootings and homicides in urban neighborhoods by using a three pronged strategy:
- law enforcement in partnership with the community,
- informed street outreach and social services to prevent violence, and
- involved community members reinforcing community norms rejecting violence.
For additional information on GVI, including its history and rationale, see this hour-long webinar from Mayors Against Illegal Guns entitled Re-imagining Public Safety: Group Violence Intervention and Intimate Partner Intervention: Webinar. The password is: MA1Guniversity! The first half of the webinar is on GVI, the second half on Intimate Partner Intervention.
Pittsburgh’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) violence prevention strategy was featured in the October STOP the Violence Newsletter which can be accessed HERE. The non-law enforcement elements of GVI are coordinated by Rev. Cornell Jones who can be contacted at cornell.jones@pittsburghpa.gov.
|
|
Conflict Resolution Training
If you would like more information on violence prevention and some suggestions on ways to be involved with anti-violence activities, please click on and watch the two-hour training video to the right.
Our outreach teams include violence interrupters, but there are lots of other roles to play. After viewing the training video, please let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to be involved!
|
|
Facts & Stats:
Below are selected crime statistics from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. These statistics are from the period January 1 to February 28, 2021. These only cover the City, not the areas of Allegheny County which are outside of the City.
A few February statistics of note: non-fatal shooting incidents are up 50% from 2020, homicides are the same as in 2020. Police zone 5 has had the most shooting incidents this year.
The 15 shooting incidents and 7 homicides that we have experienced so far this year have permanently affected too many lives in our city. Each life is too valuable and our communities are poorer as a result. Preventing violence will take all of us. We need to speak out, offer alternatives, and make sure that our family members and friends know that we will do anything to keep them safe and that gun violence is not an acceptable way to settle any dispute.
If you are interested in working to change these negative statistics, please click HERE to contact the STOP the Violence Office.
What will you do to help?
|
|
City of Pittsburgh Police Zones |
|
Tips for You:
Don't leave anything visible in your car
Car thieves are looking for something to take, no matter how valuable. So, lock you car and don't leave anything visible from the outside, not even loose change. Every month there are multiple auto break-ins where the only thing taken was loose change.
Arrange for your delivered packages
If you are expecting a package, please arrange for it to be secured (or at least hidden) and not sitting on your porch for any amount of time visible to anyone passing by. Unattended packages are a very attractive target and are reported stolen daily.
Domestic Violence Help:
Violence is not an acceptable method to resolve issues between friends or partners. If there are threats, please seek help!
When in danger, call 911 immediately.
Some other resources are in the Domestic Violence Resource Guide which you can access HERE.
|
|
Do You Have Any Ideas?
The Stop the Violence Newsletter is produced monthly by Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the STOP the Violence Office of the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.
|
February Survey Responses
Last month we asked what you would be most interested in learning more about. Here's are your responses:
- Trauma Response Team 37
- Youth Mentoring Opportunities 51
- Resources after incarceration 23
- Engaging with the Pgh Police 26
- Services of Center for Victims 22
- Other Volunteer opportunities 16
Thank you for responding.
What can you do?
|
Previous Newsletters
Click on the dates below to find past issues of the City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Newsletter:
|
|
Coming Events
If you are aware of an anti-violence event that is open to the public, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
|
|
Community Resources
If you are aware of an resource that can contribute to violence prevention or reducing the impact of violence, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
|
|
|
Poll #2: Which section of this Newsletter was most interesting to you?
|
|
Solutions: Community Engagement Office of Pittsburgh Bureau of Police
|
|
|
|
|
Solutions: Trauma Response Team of Neighborhood Resilience Project
|
|
|
|
|
Are You Aware: Teen Dating/Relationship Violence
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh
STOP The Violence Newsletter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
