Crime reduction group uses city grant for advocates, ‘street training’
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Three years have passed and each year, Indianapolis has seen record-breaking homicide numbers.
This year is shaping out to not be much different. The Ross Foundation, a neighborhood crime-fighting group, is working to take back the neighborhood.
The Ross Foundation formed the BASIC Program. The goal is to reduce crime, especially on the city’s far east side. The group believes it is going to achieve that goal by getting the help of the entire neighborhood.
At the corner of 42nd Street and Post Road, there is something cooking at Taqueria Los Potrillos.
“It’s the best. It’s the best tacos I’ve ever had,” said Brylen Springfield, who lives in the neighborhood.
But beyond the food truck, there is a hunger pang in the community, one that food can’t satisfy.
“It’s big. Very big. Very, very big. It’s a lot of crime,” said Springfield.
The neighborhood is afflicted by crime.
Back in August, Mayor Joe Hogsett awarded $60,000 to the Ross Foundation to help with crime reduction. A large portion of the money is going toward hiring community advocates.
Derris Ross, who started the Ross Foundation three years ago, said the advocates are hired on a part-time basis and receive less than $13 an hour. He plans to hire six.
The advocates, many of them former gang members, will man the neighborhoods and help point troubled youth in the right direction.
“Getting people to end their feuds, end their beefs, give them alternative plans and roll out a life plan for them that they can envision,” said Ross.
The money will also be used to expand the BASIC program.
“It stands for ‘Building Alternative Solutions in the Community,’ so basically it’s de-escalating neighborhood issues before it escalates to involving the police,” said Ross.
The foundation is rallying organization, schools and neighbors to attend what they’re calling Street Outreach Training.
“We feel it takes a village to reduce the violence in our communities, not one without the other,” said Ross.
The training will teach volunteers how to talk to troubled youth.
“Because there are certain things you can say, cannot say, when you’re trying to reach them and connect with them and figure out what their needs and concerns are,” said Ross.
The BASIC program will be hosting the Street Outreach training on Thursday, Oct. 4 from 6-6:30 p.m.
If you’d like to participate, you can RSVP at BeTheDifference@TheRossFoundationCommunity.org.