After years of grappling with gun violence, Durham County has made the decision to end the Bull City United violence prevention program, a move that took effect yesterday. Launched in 2016, the county's initiative sought to quell the tide of shootings primarily in two census tracts, and by 2021 had expanded to 25 staff members operating across six census tracts. County officials cite a commitment to adapt its efforts for more sustainable and impactful outcomes, according to a statement obtained by CBS 17.
Joanne Pierce, Assistant County Manager of Community Well-Being said, "The CISS department is dedicated to facilitating a smooth transition by offering support and connecting individuals to career and professional development resources as they seek new opportunities, at their request." The closure affects 14 full-time employees, and six contractors who will face a reduction in the county's workforce, as reported by CBS 17. Employees of the program notably included those with past criminal convictions, reflecting the program's ethos that to make a difference, one must navigate through a personal understanding of darkness.
Questions about the effectiveness and management of the anti-violence initiative arose when, despite its noble intent, it became embroiled in controversy following the arrests of several employees for serious offenses, including the arrest of an outreach worker in 2022 for intent to sell and deliver crack cocaine. This was part of a backdrop that led to the program coming under review by Durham County earlier this year, WRAL News reports.
Despite the program's termination, city leaders maintain that the concept itself holds merit. Durham Mayor Pro Tempore Mark-Anthony Middleton emphasized the importance of the general model and proposed better vetting processes for staff in the future, "We've had victories with this program. There have been instances where violence was interrupted," he told CBS 17. Meanwhile, Durham Mayor Leonardo Williams hopes that "lessons were learned from our time with Bull City Unity and other similar programs," indicating the possibility of a reincarnation of the program with better implementation, according to CBS 17. The county has allocated $6 million for a new program headquarters and city officials are now faced, with the challenge of creating alternative paths to suppress the persistent beat of gunfire in Durham.
