New program aims to reduce gun violence in Rochester and other cities around NYS

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Gun-involved violence elimination — also known as GIVE — is a New York State program to help reduce gun violence in cities that are seeing a spike of it.

Rochester is one of them.

GIVE uses many strategies, one of the most important being deterrence.

Police work with people who are known to be involved in gun crimes, to warn them about the possible consequences and get them on the path toward a different life.

Social workers connect them with GED and college prep, job training, mental health and substance abuse treatment, and more.

Rochester Police Captain Sam Lucyshyn tells News10NBC the response to GIVE has been great.

He told News10NBC about one person who was open to the program’s help.

“When we spoke with that person, we conducted a custom notification,” says Lucyshyn. “We said ‘Hey, we know you are involved with this activity and we want you to know that there are alternatives you don’t need to continue this lifestyle.’ The person said to us ‘Yes. I would like to get out of the gang life. Please help me.'”

RPD Lt. Greg Bello shared text messages with News10NBC that officers have gotten from people involved in the GIVE program. The messages appear to show two people sharing their progress in getting a job and working towards their GED.

Captain Lucyshyn told us it isn’t easy to get people to this point. Sometimes they have to reach out to people at risk of gun violence, several times before getting a response.