Public Safety & Health

Davenport Hires Group Violence Intervention Consultants

WVIK, Quad Cities NPR | By Michelle O'Neill

Published December 17, 2021 at 2:22 PM CST

Image from the cover of the Group Violence Intervention guide

Davenport will spend nearly $400,000 to reduce violent crime and help criminals become productive members of society.

Last week, the city council approved a two-year contract with the National Network for Safe Communities. It's part of a research center at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Image from a GVI publication entitled, "Custom Notifications: Individualized Communication in the Group Violence Intervention"

Sarah Ott, Davenport's Chief Strategy Officer, says the program is called, Group Violence Intervention or GVI. After analyzing the city's crime data, the consultants and others will start identifying people who can talk to those who continue to break the law.

The city and law enforcement will also enlist the help of social service agencies.

Davenport will use $385,000 from the city's American Rescue Plan funding to pay for the contract.

Ott says the results of Group Violence Intervention may be measured by monitoring crime statistics and social media, plus talking to school resource officers, gang liaison officers, and community groups.