SALISBURY — Project Safe Neighborhoods is about saving lives, according to Jim Summey, executive director of High Point Community Against Violence, a program that has successfully done its part to reduce violent crime.

Summey was one of the presenters at a review of crime data Wednesday at the Salisbury Civic Center. The data was collected and analyzed by John Weil and Stacy Sechrist, both with the N.C. Network for Safe Communities research team at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

The two analyzed Rowan County data over a 36-month period from September 2015 to September 2018. Those who attended the meeting included local law enforcement officers, residents, faith leaders and those who head nonprofit programs.

The meeting, which was held from 2 to 4 p.m., wasn’t heavily attended, but those there said the message has to be shared and the next steps taken.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A.J. Lang is also the Project Safe Neighborhoods coordinator for the Middle District of North Carolina.

Lang said the common goal is to reduce violent crime, but it will take the public working together with law enforcement agencies.

“We’ve got to save the next generation,” Lang said.

Project Safe Neighborhoods targets violent offenders and has “call-in”meetings in exchange for helping them find jobs and turn their lives around. If the offender again commits a crime, he could face harsher consequences including federal prison time.

At the call-in meetings, law officers let offenders know their bad behavior won’t be tolerated and tells them about community resources that are available to them.

Summey said the nonprofit group he heads works with community partners to give these offenders a choice. He said if authorities tell criminals to put down their guns and stop selling drugs, then the community has to be willing to say, “I’ve got your back.”

Candace Edwards, coordinator of Project Safe Neighborhoods, said those who work in the program have been using a combination of evidence-based policing — using data to identify problem areas — and problem-oriented policing. She said the goal of the meeting is to be transparent and tell people what law officers and community partners have been doing to reduce violent crime.

Esther Atkins Smith works with area youths through a nonprofit after-school mentoring and tutoring program. She knows there are other beneficial programs in the community but hopes there can be a way to connect them all.

Edwards said what Smith mentioned is one of the concerns that the public brought up through a series of Community Action Planning meetings held in 2017. She said there is already a resource guide available through the North Carolina Division of Workforce Solutions.

Smith said what she finds is there are programs available but not all parents or guardians can afford to participate. She said there’s only so many scholarships and free programs that can be offered.

“They need somewhere to go during the summer. How do we participate in that effort?” Smith asked about connecting with the families of violent offenders.

Her husband, Ricardo Smith, who is a substitute teacher at North Rowan Elementary School, said there are so many youths who just want to talk to someone. He said although there are resource officers in the schools, not all students feel comfortable talking to a law officer.

Smith suggested an in-house mentoring program that would allow students a place to vent, talk and generally have someone listen to them about life’s problems.

The outcome of the data reviewed showed a number of correlations, including:

• Most violent incidents occurred between offenders and victims who knew each other in a drug deal. Sechrist said there wasn’t a lot of violence involving strangers.

• Other violent situations were often a matter of retaliation for a prior theft or robbery.

• Many offenders were on probation or supervision when the incidents happened.

• While many criminal incidents involved gang members, none involved a gang “beef” or rivalry. Researchers conducted a gang/group audit and identified 21 groups with 392 individuals active in Rowan County. The gangs were perceived to be well organized, the presenter said.

Contact reporter Shavonne Walker at 704-797-4253.