FRESNO (KMJ) – The Fresno city council will consider whether to spend $200,000 to fund the Advance Peace program designed to get gang members to give up the gang lifestyle, with a potential payout for each totaling between four and hundred dollars a month.
Councilmembers Miguel Arias and Garry Bredefeld debated the plan on KMJ’s Broeske and Musson Show.
“It allows the private sector to keep folks who otherwise wouldn’t have a viable option but to commit crimes, enrolled in a job training program, that gets them completely off the realm of committing crimes,” Arias said.
Arias says the taxpayer money will be used for half the program’s costs, the other half will be matched by donations.
Arias adds that police chief Jerry Dyer supports the program in concept, but Bredefeld says the city has more pressing priorities.
“This is an absolute waste of money, and we ought to be committing our resources to really providing what we’re supposed to do, which is public safety resources,” Bredefeld said.
Arias says the program has reduced shootings in cities like Stockton and Richmond, results Bredefeld disputes.
