To keep communities safe, fund the work that prevents violence

Group proposes fee for Short North shoppers to keep neighborhood safe, clean

A group is proposing a fee for some purchases in the Short North that, if approved, would fund programs around safety and beautification

To keep communities safe, fund the work that prevents violence

Last month, I was invited to a meeting with public safety experts strategizing how to deescalate a neighborhood conflict already showing signs of violence. At the meeting, a seasoned LAPD officer told me that if anyone was going to put this out, it would be the local CVI organization. This wasn’t a symbolic nod, it was a 30-year law enforcement veteran recognizing that community-based violence intervention (CVI) is what prevents shootings. That …