TenPoint Coalition: ‘Peacemakers’ could help lower crime rate
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Thirty-five new “peacemakers” hired by the city are working the streets in hopes of lowering the city’s gun violence.
The Rev. Charles Harrison, leader of the crime-deterring Indianapolis TenPoint Coalition, said Monday, “It is certainly something that TenPoint has been advocating for the last seven years because we have seen seven years of the highest level of violence in the history of Indianapolis, and we knew this model of street engagement worked.”
Harrison and the TenPoint Coalition has been working with volunteers for two decades to help reduce crime in areas. On Monday night, they patrolled at North Mitthoefer Road and East 42nd Street.
“We’ve been doing it a long time, and we’ve done it successfully. You know, even over the last seven years as the city has seen historical records of violence, we have had 13 times in our areas in partnership with community law enforcement, our areas have gone 13 times without a murder. So, I think we could add something,” Harrison said.
Leroy Smith is a volunteer with TenPoint. He believes hiring more peacemakers could make an impact, but only if they show they are there for the communities.
“It’s about beautifying the area, and part of it is to keep the violence and crime down to a minimum, as we can. That’s why we connect. It’s about us being in connect with the community,” Smith said.
Harrison says their is hard evidence that it works, but it takes time.
“As much as I, you know, think of the TenPoint model, we’re not the silver bullet. We’re just one piece to the solution, and it’s going to take the efforts of all the other groups in addressing the root causes of the violence also if were gonna have success in lowering this violence were seeing now citywide,” Harrison said.
