Little Rock City Board approves contracts with community organizations to deter crime

LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — The Little Rock City board voted Tuesday to approve funding to nearly a dozen community organizations in an effort to deter crime in the city.

One of those organizations is FAB44, a nonprofit that proposed a day labor program with Little Rock youth.

"The crime is what pays for them now," said founder Joe Vincent. "If we want to eliminate crime or combat crime, then we have to be able to provide employment, provide opportunities for them to flourish in the community today."

Vincent says they will provide a lawn service in conjunction with the city's 311 number, a non-emergency line used for services such as trash or debris pickup. However, it's not just about putting them to work.

"In the process, we want to make sure we're teaching and educating these young professionals from the age of 18 to 30 to make sure that they have the tools to do this long after a year program," Vincent said.

This contract with the city will be for one year totaling $200,000 taken from American Rescue Plan funds. It will target those in the 18 to 30 age range, but it will be open to Little Rock residents of all ages.

The resolution passed 8-2.

Board directors also discussed using the federal dollars to fund 10 additional programs doing a variety of work.

"That's a good thing," said Mayor Frank Scott Jr. "We have a new set of eyes, new strategies that are working to address crime as well as youth and young adult development as well as prevention, intervention, and treatment. So we should be supporting new organizations that are coming to the table that have never had an opportunity before."

They are broken up into five separate categories: Anger management/conflict resolution, hospital-based intervention, life skills and/or workplace readiness, mental health and wellness, and prevention of criminal activity through violence intervention.

These community partners include UAMS, Restore Hope, and Our House. A complete list can be found here.

While all 10 programs were lumped into one resolution, the board ultimately decided to vote on each organization separately, and after a four-hour-long meeting, all of them passed.