Tallahassee City Commission to Discuss Gun Violence Programs at Workshop

Tallahassee City Commission to Discuss Gun Violence Programs at Workshop

On October 12, the Tallahassee City Commission will hold a workshop to address spending priorities related to the Tallahassee gun violence problem. Back on March 9, 2022, the city commission voted to set aside $1 million each year for five years to address gun violence.

During the workshop, one of the items calls for elected officials to address three community proposals: the Capital Area Justice Ministry Proposal, the Community Roundtable of Tallahassee Interrupter Program Proposal and the Tallahassee-Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys Funding Proposal (CSMB).

Of particular interest is the CSMB, which recently received a $1.4 million federal grant.

The Tallahassee-Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys Funding Proposal

On February 16, 2022, the City Commission reserved $140,000 for startup funding for CSMB) Per CSMB’s proposal, the Council will unify existing agencies, organizations, and individuals to coordinate resources, funding, and services under a multi-disciplinary plan for reducing homicides and non-fatal shootings in Leon County.

The CSMB is requesting an additional $500,000 from the City of Tallahassee to provide direct services for Tallahassee/Leon County men and boys most at-risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of gun violence.

Participant criteria has been established based on the findings of the Sheriff’s Anatomy of a Homicide, case worker assessments, discussions with Leon County Schools personnel, social service providers, and other published indicating other risk factors linked to violence.

These criteria include: Expulsion, or students on track for expulsion, school suspension for serious offenses, current or previously attended an alternative school, males between the age of 12-24, resides in or frequents areas where homicide and violence are most prevalent and previous encounters with criminal justice system.

In addition, other factors may be considered such as, first arrest at 18 years of age or younger, first crime committed at 12 years old of younger, previous firearms related charges and having divorced or separated parents.

The funding will provide up to $10,000 worth of direct support services to 50 male youth determined to be most at-risk. The funding will not be given to a specific program but instead will be tailored to the needs of each participant and follow each participant.

The CSMB model will include Leon County Schools, case workers, and community liaisons. Leon County Schools has agreed to partner with the CSMB to assist in identifying those who are most at risk. This will include coordination through the case workers and community liaisons.

On October 4, 2022, the Council announced that they have been awarded $1.4 million from the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Program as part of a national effort to reduce gun violence.

The grant will allow the Council to hire three Navigator positions for three years: a Community-based Navigator, a School-based Navigator, and a Life Coach Navigator. The grant will also fund research, analytics, and program evaluation by the Florida State University College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.

The full agenda item can be viewed here.

10 Responses to "Tallahassee City Commission to Discuss Gun Violence Programs at Workshop"

  1. @ A Skeptic: You are so right. I have several Guns by my Bed at arms length away, loaded and ready to use, and not a single one has attempted to shoot me or anyone else, and not a single one has even tried to moved since I placed them there.

  2. Stop, stop, stop, stop stop!

    Quit feeding the political narrative that guns are evil by referring to “gun violence”.

    Guns are NOT violent. Those that wield them often are. The gun is simply the weapon.

  3. Step 1 – Create a sympathetically-titled LLC
    Step 2 – Prepare a colorful PowerPoint for the malleable elected Progressives
    Step 3 – Submit for a piece of the wasteful spending pie
    Step 4 – Hire friends and family to tweet and tic toc all day @ $45k per
    Step 5 – Spend $500 of the pie on some cans of Spam, a dozen blankets, and a few nights at a local hotel
    Step 6 – Shut down LLC and disappear in your new SUV to avoid accountability

    … wealth redistribution accomplished

  4. Most important to our local sheeple straight “Democrat Down The Ballot” voters is:
    How can our elected Nannies “break off” some of that sweet sweet cool million dollars per year to Sean Pittman and a few other elite local usual suspects in order to get some of the money back to our beloved elected Nannies in campaign contributions in order to maintain our Democrats only in charge status quo.
    Our local voters all want the Leon County money laundry to remain active

  5. Tallahassee Commissioners won’t say “Defund the Police” but they are quick to say “Fund the Non-Profits” which is exactly the same thing. At the last commission meeting I heard commissioners say “You cannot police your way out of crime” and that is a categorically untrue statement. If you enforce the law and lock up offenders, the community will be safe. You will not stop crime by teaching boys how to tie a tie or buying a prom dress.

  6. There are some mommies and daddies out there who neglect their children. These mommies and daddies need to read to their children, be kind to their children, be firm with their children, see that their children are in school and do their homework, involve their children in extra-curricular activities that stimulates their minds bodies and souls, see that a moral and law-abiding household is provided, absentee fathers need to be held accountable and there are mommies and daddies who need to see that their children are involved in a faith-based curriculum at their place of worship. Good parenting starts at home.

  7. Sadly… this is just another vote-buying boondoggle that will have absolutely zero impact on the ever-growing problem of “criminal” behavior or “criminal’ violence. A “gun” doesn’t commit crime or criminal acts… the person with criminal intent (who may be holding a gun or knife or baseball bat…) is the problem. It is not the weapon in their hand, it is the evil in their heart.

    “You will never solve a problem you refuse to recognize”

  8. The officers/ deputies are not going be pro-active (stop and frisk, frequent traffic stops etc) in Tallahassee for fear the “community leaders” and city hall will not properly back them up if someones relative is stopped for reasonable suspicion. When law enforcement is not aggressive, the criminals are unafraid and will continue to commit criminal acts including gun violence. The prosecuters and judges could help by keeping violent offenders they do happen to catch in jail.

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