Lake County employs violence interrupters: 'They will solve conflicts, prevent retaliation'

Violence prevention Photo credit Getty Images

By Andy Dahn

(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Leaders in the north suburbs are touting a new form of violence prevention, and it’s all about finding resolutions before shots are fired.

Lake County has used more than $1 million to hire 10 gun violence interrupters.

“They will go out and mediate disputes,” State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said Friday. “They will solve conflicts. They will prevent retaliation. They will also connect at-risk youth to services that they need.”

Rinehart said that includes everything from mental health counselling, job training or anti-gang programs.

“We’re going do that before the crimes happen. We all know about the horror of gun violence. We know that defendants will face serious consequences. This is a program about what happens before.”

National violence prevention trainer Marcus McAllister will help work with the interrupters as part of the program, which Rinehart said was a bipartisan plan with plenty of support from law enforcement.

“The plan is to always work with the police to identify hot spots and deescalate situations,” Rinehart said. “The police are our partners in this.”