INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana’s Attorney General announced plans to expand and replicate Indianapolis’ Ten Point Coalition across the state.
AG Curtis Hill made the announcement Wednesday along with Rev. Charles Harrison, leader of Indy’s Ten Point Coalition.
Hill praised Rev. Harrison’s model and the results his program has seen in Indianapolis over the past year.
“My office is investing in a proven model,” Hill said. “The return on that investment will be safer communities. ITPC has been a vital resource in Indianapolis neighborhoods where homicides and other crimes have been ‘just another day in the life.’ We are offering financial resources to other community groups statewide that will commit to using ITPC’s methods in neighborhoods in serious need of intervention.”
Hill said crime is down over the last several decades but several U.S. cities have seen more homicides in the past few years, partly because of the ongoing opioid crisis. Because of this, Hill is implementing Ten Point’s program in several key areas statewide in the hopes of seeing a change.
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“If groups similar to ITPC establish a presence in communities statewide, they will save lives,” Hill said. “ITPC goes into these communities and engages individuals struggling with drug use or involvement with violent criminals. They work to reduce the amount of drugs and violent crimes in neighborhoods by assisting individuals who are going down the wrong paths.”
Hill said areas frequented by Indy’s Ten Point Coalition have seen fewer crimes.
“I look forward to seeing the same successful results ITPC has produced in Indianapolis occur in other areas of the state,” Hill said.
Hill said leaders from Gary have already begun studying how to apply Ten Point’s principles to their own community to help combat crime.
“We all realize that money is only a small part of the equation,” Hill said. “These efforts work when communities decide they don’t want violence in their neighborhoods and when people take the initiative to turn things around like the people of ITPC have done.”
