Anti Violence Initiative

About the Program

Category: Criminal Justice and Public Safety (Best in Category)

Year: 2023

On November 30, 2021, Oakland County was faced with a tragedy that every community hopes it never experiences: a mass shooting at a local school, Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. The Board quickly responded with resources to support community partners and those directly impacted by the crisis, and commissioners also began work on programming to address trends of gun violence that would help prevent another crisis like this. The Oakland County Board of Commissioners (BOC) recognized two key action items and formed the Anti- Violence Initiative as the prevention arm of its Oxford response. Through the new Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) Pilot Program and a Gun Buyback Pilot Program, the Board aimed to support communities in their efforts to reduce violence. The Board dedicated $500,000 to expand CIT opportunities for local law enforcement agencies in partnership with Oakland Community Health Network (OCHN), which will better equip law enforcement officers to assist individuals with mental health concerns and/or addictions. Through the Gun Buyback Pilot Program, the Board partnered with seven law enforcement agencies to host four gun buyback events on October 22, 2022. These events collected more than 350 unwanted weapons and distributed more than $35,000 in gift cards to participants.