"Don't Shoot" is a community-wide effort to reduce gun violence in the Peoria area. The local initiative ties in with the book "Don't Shoot" by criminologist and author David Kennedy. This program is collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement, prosecutors, as well as community members and leaders. This is the first of four roundtable discussions of the "Don't Shoot" project on WCBU, and it examines the history of the anti-violence initiative and how it will apply to the Peoria region.
It’s an aggressive multi-strategy anti-gang and gun violence program designed to decrease shootings and get the most dangerous criminals off the streets. Led by Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis, the initiative creates partnerships among federal, state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, outreach specialists, community leaders and media. Never before has Peoria seen such comprehensive collaboration from key stakeholders in implementing a zero-tolerance message towards violence.
The centerpiece of the program is a focused deterrence strategy enhanced by an innovative community-wide education and outreach program crafted to thoroughly incorporate all segments of the citizenry of the Greater Peoria area. Using offender-based policing strategies, police and prosecutors send a specific message to a number of high-risk individuals that gun violence will not be tolerated. Then, the strategy includes communication about community programs that will provide services to help them on the road to a better and more productive life. As part of the message, these high-risk individuals are told that any future gun violence will result in the full force of federal and state law enforcement. They are put on notice and they know law enforcement eyes are on them.
