San Antonio Police Department Supporting Victims of Gang Violence

The Supporting Victims of Gang Violence Grant Program provides funding for localities to increase the availability of direct support services for victims of gang-related violence and to develop or enhance the responses to children and youth exposed to gang-related violence in their homes, schools, and communities. This program is authorized by Pub. L. No. 116-6, 133 Stat. 13, 113.

This grant will be used to expand and enhance the capabilities of the Community Engagement Program within the San Antonio Police Department Homicide Unit to respond to and support youth victims of gang violence. The Community Engagement Program takes a collaborative team approach that aims to strengthen police-community relationships, support victims of serious violence, and proactively intervene with high-risk individuals. This grant will add two additional Violence Prevention Advocates to the program to enhance capacity to serve victims of gang violence and their families. These advocates are civilian positions similar to street outreach workers. The additional advocates will work collaboratively with community-based partners to connect youth victims of gang violence and their families to resources that address the impacts of trauma. These responses will help promote recovery in victims and their families and reduce repeat victimization. Advocates will also proactively intervene with high-risk youth, provide investigative assistance on gang-involved shootings as community liaisons, and can mediate gang conflicts to reduce youth victimization and repeat victimization.

CA/NCF