Office of Community Violence Solutions

• Criminal justice system navigation
• Job training and placement
• Drug and alcohol counseling
• Individual and family counseling
• Education assistance
• Fatherhood support
• Medical/dental assistance
• Outreach services
• Housing assistance
• Mental health service
• Spiritual guidance/assistance
• Life skills

OCVS seeks to support a network of partner agencies that can provide effective and efficient strategies that collectively strengthen families and communities. 

• Child Protection Protocol Program: Coordinated gang, drug, and gun violence child protection pilot project between the Denver Department of Human Services and Denver Police Department.
• Community Education Series: Educate residents on a variety of public safety, youth and family development topics. 
• Community Engagement: Support partnerships and collaborative efforts to ensure effective community engagement and organizing.
• Community Resources Guide: Guide specific to agencies serving gang-affiliated youth.
• Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T): School-based, gang prevention program in elementary and middle schools.
• Public Awareness Campaign: Develop violence reduction public awareness campaigns in targeted areas as needed.
• Safe Passage Program: Ensuring safety of neighborhood youth and families while on their way to and from school.
• Gun Buyback Program: Safe surrender and dismantling of unwanted firearm.

OCVS seeks to create and support a network of partner agencies that can provide effective case management intervention strategies to high-risk gang members and their families. 

• Employment and Education Opportunities: Provide access to job training and placement and access to educational opportunities for gang members.
• Evidence-Based Case Management Practices: Ensure supervision and case management services are consistent with evidence-based practices in the corrections field.
• Mental Health: Ensure access to appropriate mental health services for both juveniles and adults affiliated with gangs.
• Offender Notification Meetings: Gang member notification regarding the availability of services and consequences of partaking in violent activity.
• Outreach Mentoring/Advocacy: Provide individual and family mentoring and advocacy to gang members and families through the work of outreach workers.
• Re-entry Programs: Address the needs and challenges associated with re-the entry process for gang members returning to the community.
• Hospital-Based Intervention: Gang intervention for individuals admitted for injuries related to suspected gang activity.
• Training: Provide training for partner agencies on gang structures and dynamics, gang intervention and prevention, and associated strategies and programs.
• Coordinated Case Management: Ensure there is a system in place for coordinated and comprehensive intervention and case management services to gang-affiliated youth, adults, and family members.

OCVS seeks to create and support criminal justice partnerships to suppress violent crimes in the community. 

• Agency Capacity Building: Support partner agency capacity building to become more collaborative, ensure information sharing and planning, and leverage their resources to effectively address gang violence.
• Analysis of Denver Gangs: Conduct an analysis of prominent Denver gangs to ensure a clear understanding of the structures and dynamics of each group.
• Community Partnerships: Develop and support a wide variety of criminal justice and community partnerships, consistent with successful community-policing and supervision programs.
• Critical Incident Response Protocol: Ensure appropriate and timely information sharing among all responding partners regarding violent gang incidents.
• Federal Investigations: Support federal investigations of high-level gang activity to include drug trafficking, illegal firearm possession/sales, and human trafficking.
• Gang Prosecutions: Support a specialized local gang prosecution unit within the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

OCVS is committed to agency capacity building to effectively address gang violence. Through our training, we provide an educational series on gang structures and dynamics, gang intervention and prevention, and associated strategies and programs. We also offer several trainings conducted by law enforcement and community organizations as we realize there are several topics relevant to learning about and managing gang-affiliated individuals.  

Download Training Series Guide(PDF, 85KB)

Safe Haven is a faith-led initiative designed to support community members struggling with trauma, fear or frustration as a result of gang violence. Over 20 churches across the city serve as Safe Haven locations. Following an incident, the Safe Haven church closest to the incident is activated for three days and anyone from the community can go to receive support in a safe space. Church members from the Safe Haven network volunteer their time to support community healing. Emotional and mental health specialists are also on-site to provide professional support and connect community members with more in-depth services if desired.

Safe Haven Locations