It involved the development and enhancement of partnership with schools, communities and probation agencies, use of civil remedies as a means of code enforcement and use of direct patrols to enhance zero tolerance laws. Other initiated strategies adopted by some cities was the use of aggressive enforcement against youth suspected even with minor criminal activities, but this was not welcome by most of the residents especially the minority who felt that the tactics were unfair and motivated racially. Still others used soft strategies where youths who engaged in criminal activities were arrested this strategy aimed at changing the youth behaviors. The YFVI departments proposed tactics and strategies that focused on streets, schools and communities. COPS encouraged the department of police to
i. Cooperate with other city agencies in the promotion of education, prevention and intervention programs that related to handguns and handgun safety. ii. Initiate community based programs that focused on youth firearms violence. iii. Establish programs that involved and assisted families in solving youth firearms …show more content…
This initiative sought a contempt of court sanctions against gang members who violated civil injunctions against assembly with other members of the gang. The program necessitated a close cooperation with the district attorney’s office in order to assist in drafting and obtain the civil remedies from the court which was not easy. Inglewood police officers teamed with the community leaders to establish a Rites of Passage Mentoring program to educate the youths civic values, self-esteem and conflict mediation. In the city of Cleveland the program funded a Residential Area Policing Program (RAPP) in the most troubled and violent areas where isolated house that were used by community members for illegal activities were converted into police substations. The communities would meet at this station 's for communal activities such as cleaning the neighborhood. They would report problems to the police and youth turned in large numbers to talk to the officers. Using the YFVI funds the RAPP houses were extended into other