Vallejo, CA -The US Department of Justice hosted its inaugural CVIPI Conference in St. Louis, MO earlier this month, convening over 400 attendees that included DOJ grantees, training and technical assistance provider organizations, and impactful speakers. The conference marked the inaugural convening of communities funded under the department’s Community Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative, a first-of-its-kind federal grant program tailored to support community-driven safety solutions and reduce gun violence.

The City of Vallejo Police Department (VPD) attended as a Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) grantee for Project HOPE - the department's comprehensive community violence intervention (CVI) program that deploys innovative strategies throughout Vallejo communities in partnership with community-based organizations and individuals with lived experience. Captain Drew Ramsay of the VPD was in attendance and met with other Justice grantees to discuss the importance of CVI work and learn from other departments and organizations as they implement programming. The VPD’s Project HOPE stands for Harm-focused Outreach, Prevention, and Engagement and consists of a comprehensive framework that through strategic coordination and partnerships will implement evidence- and community-based strategies to reduce, prevent, and suppress violent crime and gun violence in Vallejo’s hotspot neighborhoods. Ongoing cross-collaboration, community engagement, and data collection will help the VPD and partners understand and target key issues in Vallejo, and help rebuild trust. The Justice Department invested $100 million to support community violence interventions that are working to expand the role of community partners as a complement to law enforcement. VPD’s Project HOPE was awarded $1M and aligns with DOJ priorities and objectives through the following CVI strategies:

○ Youth and Family Community Violence Interventions

○ Hospital-based Violence Intervention

○ Street Outreach Violence Intervention and Interruption

CVIPI speakers included Attorney General Merrick B. Garland, Associate Attorney General Vanita Gupta, and Office of Justice Program (OJP)'s Deputy Assistant Attorney General Amy Solomon. Attendees also heard from appointed Directors across all branches of the Justice Department including BJA, OJP, National Institute of Justice (NIJ), Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Keynote speakers also included leaders in the CVI field, and individuals with lived experience who shared deeply impactful stories.

The VPD was proud to represent the department and learn from others working in CVI, making lasting change in their communities. The VPD looks forward to continuing their efforts to rebuild trust in their communities and deploy evidence-based strategies that will transform the lives of residents and reduce crime and violence in Vallejo.

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