STOP the Violence
News & Updates
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ALERT:
Two anti-violence events are TONIGHT.
See the Coming Events section of this Newsletter.
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The City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Office exists to change the community narrative about violence and stop the spread of the disease of violence in the City. While we are concerned as well with the surrounding areas and will share solutions and events in those areas, we only have jurisdiction in the City.
Table of Contents
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Solution: STOP the Violence Training: A summary of the June 5, 2021 workshop on Recognizing and Responding to Hurt, Grief and Trauma.
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Solutions: Pittsburgh's Department of Public Safety Seeking STOP the Violence Community Investment Fund Administrator, deadline July 6
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Solutions: Pittsburgh's Student Police Academy, for teens interested in law enforcement. The deadline is June 18.
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Action Report: Gun Violence Awareness Weekend, June 4-5, 2021
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Something You Can Do: Make The Pray It, Say It, Stop It Commitment to pray against violence in June 2021
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Media Coverage
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Learning: Group Violence Intervention + and Conflict Resolution Training
- Facts and Stats
- Tips for You
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Coming Events: Lots of good things are happening this month!
- Summer Youth Activities & Community Resources
Don't forget to complete the poll at the end of this Newsletter.
Please encourage the people in your networks to subscribe to the Newsletter. If anyone you forward the Newsletter to would unsubscribe, you will be unsubscribed as well (and would need to resubscribe to receive the Newsletter again). If you're interested in helping STOP the violence, please send us an email by clicking HERE.
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STOP The Violence Newsletter
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Solutions:
STOP the Violence Training
Action Report: June 5 Workshop
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Twenty-one diverse individuals, ranging from teachers, nurses, police officers, therapists, and community activists to chaplains, pastors, evangelists and missionaries, gathered at Eastminster Church in East Liberty on Saturday, June 5. They all knew that there was something deeper that needed to be addressed in communities where violence has occurred. They gathered to share themselves, learn about available resources, and network across disciplines. This was the Recognizing and Responding to Hurt, Grief and Trauma workshop sponsored by the STOP the Violence Office and the East Liberty Family Health Care Center (ELFHCC).
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The workshop was the idea of Rev. Dr. Mary Lovett, director of chaplaincy services at ELFHCC, who suggested it “because many of the people who are the most active in the community – community leaders and people on the front lines of community change and violence prevention – often don’t do enough to take care of themselves. We do this work because we care and are such good caretakers of others. But, we need to give ourselves permission to pull back when we need to. Then when we return, we can be more effective. Many of us don’t know ourselves well enough to know when we need help or where to go to get that help. We are overwhelmed and are more burned out than we admit. We need to deal with our own stuff so we can be available to help others.”
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“Trauma, grief and hurt can affect a person in many ways and everyone is different. Some signs that you need help are (i) when you are no longer effective; or (ii) when your passion for the work is not what it once was and it becomes more of a burden than a joy. There may be sensations like a lack of energy, oversensitivity, sleep disturbances, fatigue, crying, sadness, anger.”
Rev. Dr. Lovett shared that “after my husband died 3 years ago, I noticed that I wasn’t sleeping, I wasn’t peaceful. I wasn’t ‘available’ to do ministry to those I was supposed to be helping. My mentor encouraged me to take care of myself and told me not to feel selfish about it. She said that people would survive while I was away. After I accepted that I needed help, I pulled back, took some vacation days and did a personal retreat. I sequestered myself alone in my bedroom. I went where I felt peaceful, walked around water, communed with nature and with God. I totally disconnected. No cell phones, no nothing. I stayed away from people so I could deal with my own concerns. I did a lot of resting, a lot of reflecting, and a lot of crying. After a week, I returned in a much better place. I was available again.”
“I recommend that you seek help first from God and then from someone who knows you well enough and is invested in you enough to hold you accountable to take care of yourself. It might be a friend, relative, pastor or teacher. It could be a therapist, social worker or psychologist.”
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Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the STOP the Violence Office and a workshop participant, pointed out that “last month’s Newsletter article on Vaughn Rivers of the Reach outreach team told how his brother acted as his ‘therapist’ and that’s how he recovered after the deaths of people close to him. Community helpers, including coaches, pastors, teachers and others need to openly model this behavior for the rest of the community. If we don’t take care of ourselves, others won’t either and the community stays stuck!”
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Jay Gilmer
City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Coordinator
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According to Rev. Dr. Lovett, “we never completely get over some traumas, but we need to accept the reality of the loss, allow ourselves to feel the pain, adjust to an environment without the lost person, and find a place in our emotions for the lost person that also allows us to go on serving effectively in the world, where we can proceed without being overwhelmed by the loss and needing to strike back.”
“There’s a lot of anger and separation associated with this. When we don’t have a safe place to put our emotions, the human thing to do is to react and that could mean hurting someone else. Hurt people hurt people all the time.”
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“You can’t help others to heal if you aren’t healed yourself” stated Dr. Staci Ford of the Neighborhood Resilience Project and a workshop participant.
If you would like more information on this topic or would be interested in attending a future workshop, please notify the STOP the Violence Office.
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Here are a few places to go for help with hurt, grief or trauma: |
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1-412-330-4328
Offering world-renowned expertise in evaluating and treating children who have experienced traumatic life events or live with post-traumatic stress disorder. A program of Allegheny Health Network.
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Center for Victims
Hotline: 1-866-644-2882
Caring, professional staff is available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to respond to emergency needs of crime victims and witnesses, answer questions, and provide support. You can also call:
Valerie Dixon at the Center for Victims at 1-412-403-0194 or vdixon@venterforvictims.org.
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412-661-2802
Staff therapists and a chaplaincy department. Even if someone doesn’t have insurance, please come. Locations in East Liberty, the Hill District and Lincoln-Lemington.
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112 W. North Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Offering a variety of programs to prevent incarceration, chaplaincy and pre-release to serve individuals in Allegheny County Jail and aftercare to prevent recidivism. Call if you need help or want to help.
Diversion: 412-321-3343
Chaplaincy: 412-350-2057
Pre-Release: 412-350-1322
Aftercare: 412-321-3343
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Highmark Caring Place
620 Stanwix Street
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
888-224-4673
As a peer support program, the Caring Place provides an environment where children, teens and adults can receive support from others their own ages who are going through very similar experiences, such as the loss of a parent or other loved one.
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Jeremiah’s Place
6435 Frankstown Avenue
15206 (Larimer)
412-924-0726
Pittsburgh’s only crisis nursery. It provides emergency child care services for children ages 0-6 for a few hours or days based on the needs of each individual family. All services provided are free, available for 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
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412-261-1234
The Trauma Response Team cares for the acute needs of family and friends of homicide victims of gun violence across all of Allegheny County.
Dan Emerick, MDiv, MSW – Trauma Response Team Manager
Dr. Staci Ford, In-School Coordinator for the Trauma Response Team at
1-412-261-1234 ext. 126.
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Solutions:
Pittsburgh’s Department of Public Safety
Seeking STOP the Violence Community Investment Fund Administrator
PITTSBURGH, PA (June 8, 2021) -- The City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety has released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for an administrator for its STOP the Violence Community Investment Grant Program. The program will ultimately fund community projects intended to reduce violence in the City.
The administrator will assure that an orderly, efficient, and transparent selection process is conducted to select those projects most responsive to community needs. The process of publicizing the opportunity, reviewing and selecting the fund recipients, and tracking results will be coordinated by the administrator under the direction of the Department of Public Safety.
“In order to receive the desired outcomes to reduce violence in this city, we have to invest in initiatives that advance quality of life. This grant program is just one of the many ways that the Department of Public Safety will contribute to making that happen, said Public Safety Director, Wendell Hissrich.
Public Safety Assistant Director of Community Affairs, Shatara Murphy, will lead the project. “I’ve said this before; government does not have all the answers. We are fortunate to work with some amazing people who are truly concerned about the violence occurring across the city and want to do something about it, but they need access to resources to execute their ideas. I want to ensure that we are supportive and providing solutions, not creating barriers to resources. The selection of an administrator for this program will be vital to its success.”
An initial investment of $1,000,000 will be made to support the program. The funds will come from the STOP the Violence Trust Fund, which was created by Mayor Peduto and City Council in 2020. The initiative was spearheaded by city councilmen Daniel Lavelle and Reverend Ricky Burgess.
“This RFP is a critical step in ultimately providing social services needed to reduce violence in our city. It is part of our attempt to reimagine Public Safety,” said Reverend Burgess.
“This is just a start. We have a lot more to do, but I am committed to finding ways to provide resources to community organizations that want to interrupt the epidemic of violence plaguing our communities,” said Councilman Lavelle.
In addition to Assistant Director Murphy, Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the City’s STOP the Violence Office, will provide support for this project. “Ultimately, this fund has the potential to stimulate systemic change and assist community members in addressing the unique challenges they determine to be the forces driving violence, said Gilmer.”
"Initiatives like this are just what we need to reimagine policing in Pittsburgh, and to do what residents expect from their city — to keep them, their families and their neighborhoods safe," Mayor William Peduto said.
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Solutions:
Student Police Academy-All Are Welcome!
Sign-up by Friday June 18
Starts June 22, 2021
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The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police sponsors an opportunity for High School students from any school district to become closely ac
quainted with the roles and responsibilities of the Police Bureau. The Student Police Academy brings police and high school students closer together in a setting that offers a sample of police training to each participant.
Applications are being accepted for the summer session of the Student Police Academy (SPA) until Friday, June 18, 2021. The academy is open to all interested rising high school students in grades 9-12, whether they live inside or outside of the City of Pittsburgh.
Classes will be taught virtually from 6:00 to 8:00 pm starting Tuesday, June 22, 2021 via Microsoft TEAMS. The SPA meets weekly for 8 weeks. The academy exposes students to some of the experiences they might have just as if they were cadets training at the Pittsburgh Police Academy to be police officers.
According to John Tokarski, SaferTogether Coordinator and facilitator of the SPA: “a student who enrolls in our academy should expect to leave with at least three wonderful experiences!
“First, students will better understand the breadth of education, understanding of policy and
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Above: Graduation day from a previous
Student Police Academy
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importance of relevant statues that factor in the various decisions that police officers must make on a daily basis...often within a split second.
“Second, teens will have a forum to meet and get to know police officers from our Police Bureau's various divisions (uniform, detectives, bomb squad, S.W.A.T., vice & narcotics, K-9, etc.) simply as human beings...and vice-versa!
“Finally, it will expose students to potential careers in criminal justice and/or as first responders. Those careers could be with the Pittsburgh Police, or in a county, state or federal law enforcement agency or any other of the many other areas of criminal justice, including forensic science, law, and others.”
The Application form and Permission Slip (pictured below) can be found HERE.
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Do you know anyone who might benefit from this summer's Student Police Academy?
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Many events occurred on Gun Violence Awareness weekend, June 4 - 6, 2021.
Pictured are community walks through Homewood, Larimer, East Liberty, Garfield and the Hill District
Also pictured is a community walk through the Hill District which ended with a Celebration of Life at Sunny's Community Garden on Granville Street.
Events were organized by Moms Demand Action, Neighborhood Resilience Project, Center that Cares, and others.
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Garfield (above): Chief Schubert, Sergeant Costa and Officer Blair greeted Leon Ford and Dorothy Stubbs. |
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Hill District (above and below): Participants included State Representatives Ed Gainey and Jake Wheatley, along with Antoine Bailey, Rev. Glenn Grayson, and Ian Reynolds. |
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Attendees included community leaders, pastors, residents, outreach workers, and dozens of Pittsburgh Police officers, led by Chief Scott Schubert, Assistant Chief Anna Kudrav, Commander Steven Vinansky, and Sergeant Tiffany Costa.
Continued collaboration will enable us to end gun violence!
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Something You Can Do:
Make the Pray It, Say It, Stop It Commitment this Month
Commitments in May: 129
Violence takes many forms -- guns, knives, fists, even words on social media. Some violence is far away, like the mass shootings in Atlanta and Boulder. Other violence is close to home, like violence in the streets and violence in households.
Psalm 11:5 in the Contemporary English Version of the Bible, states: “The LORD tests honest people, but despises those who are cruel and love violence.” While the causes of violence are many and the solutions may vary, you can take the first step by praying against violence.
The STOP the Violence Office is encouraging prayers against violence at every opportunity during June 2021. Please note, this is now a monthly commitment. Please make the commitment each month that is appropriate to you.
Can you make the Pray It, Say It, Stop It Commitment and pledge to name the problem of violence every time you pray this month? If you can make the commitment this month, just let us know by completing the poll below.
Your prayers can be part of the solution. Let’s Pray It, Say It, Stop It.
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I will agree to the Pray It, Say It, Stop It Commitment for June 2021:
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Yes! I will pray myself and/or with my family and/or house of worship
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Media Coverage:
Past Programs:
March 31, 2021
This program discussed Protecting Black Women: Domestic Violence in the Black Community The program can be seen on the City's YouTube Channel and live on the Black Pittsburgh Matters Facebook page.
Guests were Lavonnie Bickerstaff, Assistant Chief of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Dr. Staci Ford, trauma therapist, Rhonda Fleming, Director of Education and Outreach for the Women's Center & Shelter, George Fleming, Program Supervisor & Outreach Specialist for Allegheny Family Network’s Fathers Involved Now Program and Jay Gilmer, STOP the Violence Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh.
This topic affects people everywhere, is not well understood by the general public and is something that everyone needs to know more about so they can protect themselves, their family members and their community.
The program can be seen on the City's YouTube Channel and on the Black Pittsburgh Matters Facebook page or you can see it by clicking below. Please take a look:
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MARCH 24, 2021
The March 24, 2021 Black Pittsburgh Matters television show discussed Mental Health and Violence in Black Pittsburgh: How to Heal. Guests were Cornell Jones, GVI Coordinator, Antoine Bailey and Vaughn Rivers from the Reach Outreach team, Geraldine Massey and Vanessa Mayers-Snyder from the Center For Victims and Jay Gilmer, STOP the Violence Coordinator for the City of Pittsburgh.
The program can be seen on the City's YouTube Channel and on the Black Pittsburgh Matters Facebook page or you can see it by clicking below. Please take a look:
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January 27, 2021
The STOP the Violence Office was featured on the January 27, 2021 edition of the Black Pittsburgh Matters television show. Guests were Jay Gilmer, STOP the Violence Coordinator for the Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety, Von Madden, President/CEO of Shadow Student Athlete Development Services and member of the Group Violence Intervention Reach Outreach team, Valerie Dixon, Director of Family and Community Support at the Center for Victims and a member of the Group Violence Intervention Pittsburgh Outreach team, and Laura Drogowski, Critical Communities Manager for the City of Pittsburgh.
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Click on the picture above to see the entire television show. |
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Learning:
Group Violence Intervention +
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Group Violence Intervention (GVI) is a strategy to reduce shootings and homicides in urban neighborhoods by using a three pronged strategy:
- law enforcement in partnership with the community,
- informed street outreach and social services to prevent violence, and
- involved community members reinforcing community norms rejecting violence.
For additional information on GVI, including its history and rationale, see this hour-long webinar from Mayors Against Illegal Guns entitled Re-imagining Public Safety: Group Violence Intervention and Intimate Partner Intervention: Webinar. The password is: MAIGUn1versity!
Pittsburgh’s Group Violence Intervention (GVI) violence prevention strategy was featured in the October STOP the Violence Newsletter which can be accessed HERE. The non-law enforcement elements of GVI are coordinated by Rev. Cornell Jones who can be contacted at cornell.jones@pittsburghpa.gov.
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Conflict Resolution Training
If you would like more information on violence prevention and some suggestions on ways to be involved with anti-violence activities, please click on and watch the two-hour training video to the right.
Our outreach teams include violence interrupters, but there are lots of other roles to play. After viewing the training video, please let us know your thoughts and how you'd like to be involved!
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Facts & Stats:
Below are selected crime statistics from the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police. These statistics are from the period January 1 to May 31, 2021. These only cover the City, not the areas of Allegheny County which are outside of the City.
A few statistics of note:
- Both homicides and non-fatal shooting incidents are far higher than last year.
- The number of homicides in May was less than half the number in April.
- Homicides are more than double the number from last year.
- Non-fatal shooting incidents are more than 30% higher than last year.
- Zone 5 is highest in both homicides and non-fatal shooting incidents.
Even one life lost is too many and our communities are poorer as a result. Preventing violence will take all of our efforts. We need to speak out, offer alternatives, and make sure that our family members and friends know that we will do anything to keep them safe and that gun violence is not an acceptable way to settle any dispute.
If you are interested in working to change these negative statistics, please click HERE to contact the STOP the Violence Office.
What will you do to help?
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City of Pittsburgh Police Zones |
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Tip for You:
Parents, Don't Ignore Bad News
Parents, if you should hear news about your child that is surprising or disturbing, please don't reject it without an investigation.
Teachers, outreach workers, coaches, youth workers, counselors and others may tell you something that you don't think your child would say or do.
Please consider the source, check for yourself and ask your child. Always check their social media accounts (all of them) for unusual postings.
If something doesn't seem right, please be cautious and seek help. It's better to be cautious than to allow your child to become a statistic.
Domestic Violence Help:
Violence is not an acceptable method to resolve issues between friends or partners. If there are threats, please seek help!
When in danger, call 911 immediately.
Some other resources are in the Domestic Violence Resource Guide is reproduced below and can be accessed HERE.
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Do You Have Any Ideas?
The Stop the Violence Newsletter is produced monthly by Jay Gilmer, Coordinator of the STOP the Violence Office of the City of Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety.
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May Survey Responses
How much time did you or do you intend to spend with this STOP the Violence Newsletter?
- 5 minutes or less 24%
- 6-15 minutes 35%
- 16 to 30 minutes 25%
- Over 30 minutes 16%
Thank you for responding.
What will you do?
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Previous Newsletters
Click on the dates below to find past issues of the City of Pittsburgh STOP the Violence Newsletter:
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Coming Events
If you are aware of an anti-violence event that is open to the public, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
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The following event is being promoted by West End P.O.W.E.R. (Providing Opportunities With Effective Resources) as a fun and violence-free day in a safe space for neighbors to gather and celebrate together. There will be activities for youth and adults. Please bring a lawn chair for the entertainment. |
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Summer Youth Activities &
Community Resources
If you are aware of an resource that can contribute to violence prevention or reducing the impact of violence, please click HERE to send us a notice or announcement. Thank you.
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Did you see this poll at the end of the June STOP the Violence Newsletter?
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Sign up here to receive the monthly City of Pittsburgh
STOP The Violence Newsletter
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