Local police grapple with rise in gun violence in city
Chicago-based program offers holistic approach
HAMILTON POLICE PULL over a van in a traffic stop and find a loaded shotgun, a rifle and a 9-mm pistol on Barton Street East at East Avenue North.
Just hours later, around the corner on Emerald Avenue North, a 20-year-old is shot in the neck during a robbery gone wrong.
These two events last week were not related, but offer a glimpse into the reality of what an increase in guns — and shootings — looks like on a single day in Hamilton.
This city, like many across Canada, is grappling with a surge in gun violence, including 41 shootings last year, up from 22 in 2016, 14 in 2015 and seven in 2014. There have been five shootings so far this year.
Hamilton police maintain the shootings are “targeted” and typically connected to the illegal drug trade. They say they’re committed to getting guns off the street.
“One shooting in the city is unacceptable,” Det. Sgt. Mike Cunliffe said during a news conference where he answered questions about the Emerald Avenue shooting.
But police are only one part of the solution. Some experts say cities needs to take a more holistic approach to tackling the complex and evolving problem.
“For the last decade, police have been largely held responsible for the level of violence in a community and frankly that’s not fair to police,” said Charlie Ransford, senior director of science and policy at U.S.-based Cure Violence.
“Police are not psychologists, they’re not social workers.”
Cure Violence, which began in the West Garfield Park neighbourhood in Chicago, is based on the concept that violence should be treated as a public health concern, not just because it causes death and injury but because it can spread like a disease, he said.
“Violence is contagious ... the primary cause of violence is a previous act of violence or exposure to violence,” Ransford said, pointing to studies in Chicago that measured a single shooting leading to hundreds more in retaliation.
The program, which includes hiring and training “interrupters” from within communities to de-escalate situations, is used by more than 50 U.S. communities and in other countries.
There are two programs in Canada — in Halifax and the Maskwacis Youth Initiative in Alberta.
Neighbourhoods where Cure Violence has been implemented typically experience a 40 to 70 per cent reduction in violence in the first year.
Last Monday, Toronto’s board of health voted to consider formally adopting gun violence as a public health problem in that city and are exploring implementing the Cure Violence program. Ransford called the declaration “beautiful” and said he’d like to see it implemented in all communities.
In Hamilton, public health is not considering any similar measures.
However, Ruth Greenspan, the executive director of the local John Howard Society, said she was interested in exploring the idea.
The John Howard Youth at Risk Development (YARD) program works to reshape the way young people involved in gangs or who are at risk think about violence and community. The JHS is searching for new funding to keep YARD afloat when its one-time funding runs out in August.
“I agree that gun violence is a public health concern,” Greenspan said, adding that when the community hears that shootings are targeted, it often implies it’s not a public concern.
IN HAMILTON, the five shootings so far this year include:
• On Jan. 19, three people were shot during a home invasion at a townhouse complex on Upper Wentworth Street, north of Rymal Road East. They were treated for serious, but non life-threatening injuries. The suspects, described as three men around 18, fled before police arrived.
• On Jan. 23, a 24-year-old man was shot multiple times during a gunfight on Limeridge Road West, east of Garth Street. His injuries were not life threatening. The other shooter — a man in his 20s — fled in a dark four-door vehicle.
• On Feb. 5, shots were fired during an OPP provincial weapons enforcement unit takedown of a gun-trafficking suspect at a gas station on the corner of Golf Links and Stone Church roads. Details of exactly what happened remain unclear, but three people have been charged with firearm offences.
• On March 1, two bullet holes were found in a townhome at a complex on Highgate Drive at Upper Centennial Parkway around 1:30 a.m. No one was injured and no charges have been laid in this incident.
• On March 5, a 20-year-old man was shot during a robbery at an apartment on Emerald Street North at Barton Street East. Three suspects were wanted, including a 17-year-old girl who turned herself into police. An arrest warrant was issued for 19-year-old Donavan Hines.
The increase in gang-related violence and shootings is happening across Canada, according to national statistics. This includes an increase in firearmrelated homicides in Canada — 223 in 2016, up from 179 in 2015.
Gang-related homicides are also up, as are break-ins to steal guns.
This prompted Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale to convene a guns and gangs conference in Ottawa last Wednesday.
The conference heard from experts, including former gang members, on how the government should spend money recently earmarked to fight gun and gang crime — $327 million over five years and $100 million a year after that.
The government is also working on increased gun control legislation.
The John Howard Society’s Greenspan attended the conference in Ottawa. So did Ward 8 Coun. Terry Whitehead, who is also a member of Hamilton’s police board.
“It’s a complex issue,” Whitehead said, pointing to how quickly gangs evolve, travel between communities and recruit new members.
He believes there needs to be a
more comprehensive way to measure whether social service programs targeting at-risk youths are working and better co-ordination among police grappling with gang activity.
“We need more resources to seamlessly target youth at risk.”
Hamilton police has a dedicated gangs and weapons enforcement unit involved in each investigation when someone is arrested with a gun.
In an interview last month, the unit’s Sgt. Matt Reed said the old idea of a gang with a territory doesn’t exist in Hamilton and there are many who may not even have a name.
Rather, there are more loosely affiliated groups who commit crimes together to make money.
There are many environmental “cofactors” linked to increased violence, said Ransford of Cure Violence. Issues like poverty or a disfunctional home.
But it’s important to note that “poverty is not causing violence,” he said.
“That’s an error that people make; really violence entrenches poverty.”
Instead, treating violence like a disease that spreads is the “missing piece” in how many in the community are targeting gun violence.