Worcester PD Awarded Funds To Reduce Gang Violence

WORCESTER, MA- The Worcester Police Department will receive a Shannon Community Safety Initiative award for $656,525 to bolster efforts to reduce gang violence.

"Since 2015, the Worcester Youth Violence Prevention Initiative has made great strides in making our community safer for the next generation,” City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. said. “This funding from the Shannon Community Safety Initiative is critical to our combined efforts with the Worcester Police Department in combating and preventing the societal factors that can lead to youth violence. We thank the Baker-Polito administration for their continued support in recognizing this work as one of our greatest priority areas.”

The grant will help serve the Worcester Police Department’s priorities outlined in the city’s Youth Violence Prevention Initiative — a program that launched in 2015 to combat gang violence through coordinated programs for social intervention, opportunities provision and suppression.

Programs through the Worcester Police Department give police officers direct contact with residents, like monitoring probationers and juvenile offenders, and provide safe and structured environments for youth, such as summer camp and athletic activities.

“These programs have an impact on the youth in our city by providing them with opportunities and support. Our officers along with our partners have been able to reach at-risk youth and steer them on the right path,” Chief Steven M. Sargen said.

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