Initiative aimed at reducing gun violence

Albany Times Union

ALBANY -- Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo has announced a new comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence across the state.

It includes leveraging $2 million to develop community specific anti-gun violence strategies, launching an advertising campaign, supporting effective community-based violence intervention programs, and creating a toll-free tip line to encourage citizens to report illegal firearm possessions.

Albany and Schenectady are among cities to be awarded grant money to fight gun violence.

"For too long, urban communities across New York have been devastated by gun violence, destroying families and neighborhoods," Cuomo said in a statement released Saturday.

"Although the crime rate in New York State has dropped 60 percent, making it the safest large state in the country, we must do all we can to stop the violence and make sure our residents are protected and our streets are safe," he stated.

The statement added, "These initiatives will give communities the tools they need to effectively fight gun violence and reduce crime, making the state a safer and better place to live for all."

The initiative is a part of the governor's larger urban agenda to aggressively support the implementation of community-based violence reduction strategies involving the police and the community.

The governor's plan includes four innovative strategies to reduce gun violence across the state:

Creating community-specific anti-violence strategies: $1 million will be awarded to six communities -- Albany, Schenectady, Newburgh, Brownsville, the Bronx and Manhattan.

Launching an advertising campaign: The spring campaign will focus on reducing gun violence.

Supporting effective community-based programs: The governor recently awarded $700,000 to support anti-violence intervention (also referred to as the SNUG program, "guns" spelled backward) in Yonkers, Albany, Niagara, Harlem and Brooklyn.

Based on a public health model of violence intervention, the program funds "violence interrupters," often ex-offenders who identify potential disputes and try to de-escalate. The program managers are required to submit results by the end of the fiscal year.

Creating a toll-free gun tip line with a reward incentive: Individuals in communities with persistently high rates of gun violence will have access to a dedicated hotline -- 855-GUNS-NYS (486-7697) -- to report illegal guns and will provide follow-up on caller information regarding the location of an illegal gun. Rewards will be determined based on the value of the lead.