{"id":44075,"date":"2016-09-06T09:57:20","date_gmt":"2016-09-06T09:57:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/viconsortium.com\/?p=44075"},"modified":"2016-09-06T09:57:20","modified_gmt":"2016-09-06T09:57:20","slug":"mapp-signs-contract-with-national-network-of-safe-communities-in-bold-effort-to-curb-crime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/wp.viconsortium.com\/?p=44075","title":{"rendered":"Mapp Signs Contract With National Network Of Safe Communities In ‘Bold’ Effort To Curb Gang Violence"},"content":{"rendered":"

ST. THOMAS — Governor Kenneth Mapp has signed a contract between the Government of the Virgin Islands on behalf of the Virgin Islands Police Department and the Research Foundation of the City of New York, on behalf of John Jay College National Network for Safe Communities, for technical and strategic assistance as it relates to reducing gang violence in the territory, Government House announced late Monday.<\/p>\n

In March, Police Commissioner Delroy Richards told The Consortium that the effort was\u00a0a bold strategy of the Mapp administration to eliminate the decadeslong high level of criminal activity that has plagued the territory.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are planning on bringing them to the territory for a while,\u201d Mr. Richards said, although he could not reveal the cost of the contract since negotiations at the time were underway, and Monday’s press release was void of said details. \u201cWith the level of violence that we have here in the territory, you\u2019ve got to try everything to normalize the situation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Mr. Richards also revealed that the effort was one initiated by Governor Kenneth Mapp, and that the program\u2019s project manager would come from Government House.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to involve several other commissioners as well,\u201d Mr. Richards added. \u201cYou have to involve everybody in order for the effort to be successful, including Dept. of Labor, Human Services \u2014 it\u2019s a broad-based effort that must involve the community. And we\u2019re calling it one of our bold initiatives, because we have to stop this cycle one way or the other.\u201d<\/p>\n

And Mr. Richards said Dr. David Hall, president of the University of the Virgin Islands, will be involved as well, as education plays a critical role in curbing violence. \u201cIt\u2019s going to help the young folks of this territory,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The service contract is to provide technical assistance to the government and develop and implement strategies that would reduce gang violence within the territory. Additionally, the data collected regarding the cause of violence in the Virgin Islands will be reviewed and, based on findings, direct and remote technical assistance will be provided to guide the intervention, group violence research and preparation of strategies, according to the release.<\/p>\n

In addition, the research foundation will coordinate National Network Working Sessions and Peer Exchange Workshops. These workshops will be completed over four quarters and will focus on a range of topics that will be developed to assist the Police Department in establishing sustainable violence reduction strategies in the Virgin Islands.<\/p>\n

The NNSC supports jurisdictions implementing strategic interventions\u00a0to reduce violence and community disorder. These strategies combine the best of law enforcement and\u00a0community-driven approaches to improve public safety, minimize arrests and incarceration, enhance\u00a0police legitimacy, and rebuild relationships between law enforcement and distressed communities, according to a description on the organization’s website<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The National Network\u2019s strategies operate along these guiding principles:<\/p>\n