Violent Dispute Intervention Project

The Smart Policing Initiative seeks to build upon the concepts of offender-based and place-based policing and broaden the knowledge of effective policing strategies. The most convincing research demonstrates that place-based or hotspot policing reduces violent crime and neighborhood disorder. This initiative addresses the need for effective policing that requires a tightly focused, collaborative approach that is measurable, based on sound, detailed analysis and includes policies and procedures for accountability. This grant program seeks to build upon data-driven, evidence-based policing by encouraging state and local law enforcement agencies to develop effective, economical, and innovative responses to precipitous or extraordinary increases in crime, or in a type or types of crime within their jurisdictions.

The Rochester Police Department will implement a demonstration project in the city of Rochester, NY, focusing on the topic of violent dispute intervention. Previous national and local research shows that disputes account for most incidents of firearm violence. Of these disputes, those of an ongoing, violent retaliatory nature are particularly ripe for crime prevention strategies. Recent programs involving civilian violence interrupters to intervene in retaliatory disputes have shown promise.

This project proposes the following goals: 1) improve understanding on the scope and nature of violent retaliatory disputes; 2) formalize a dispute risk assessment method for police to identify and prioritize those at high-risk for retaliation; and 3) create, test, evaluate, and document a violent dispute intervention strategy that can be extensible to other departments. This project will use a data-driven strategy which employs proven evidence-based approaches in a novel way, focusing on the problem of violent retaliatory disputes. NCA/NCF