TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – The Leon County Sheriff’s Office Council on the Status of Men and Boys wrapped up a three-day violence intervention training Wednesday, bringing together more than 40 community members to tackle the root causes of gun violence.
The Professional Community Intervention Training focused on equipping residents with tools to identify and defuse conflicts before they escalate. Participants learned strategies like the “Four D Method,” detect, detour, delay, and dismantle, to use in their line of work and neighborhoods.
“What we’re learning here is how to get tools to go into the community and have those hard conversations,” said Bryan Stringer, executive director of the Capital Area Justice Ministry.
Speakers from across the country led sessions on conflict mediation and trauma-informed engagement. Attendees also practiced real-life scenarios.
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Executive Director of the Tallahassee- Leon County Council on the Status of Men and Boys, Royle King, said the efforts are based on research showing an urgent need for intervention with men and boys, particularly men of color, to reduce gun violence.
“Law enforcement can’t be everywhere at once,” King said.
The council member also emphasized the importance of identifying the root causes of crime and addressing them through prevention.
“Having those interventions prior to when a gun is involved in those disparities that men have, like health, poverty, employment, and all of those areas that lead a person to criminal activity,” King said.
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