Mayor of Stockton ponders over paying for people not to shoot each other

Michael Tubbs, Mayor of Stockton in western U.S. state of California, posted a statement late Wednesday, saying he was looking for better ways to reduce violence in the city.

Four people have been slain in Stockton since Monday, bringing the total number of homicides in the city for 2017 to 23. As a response to the situation, Tubbs twitted a statement, calling public safety a priority for the community.

He said he was thinking about paying for people not to shoot each other after he researched incentive program aiming at bolstering public safety, like Detroit's Project Green Light and Richmond's Advance Peace initiative and planned to apply the similar efforts in Stockton.

The Advance Peace initiative, pioneered in Richmond of California, essentially pays people with a criminal history of firearms use not to commit crimes. In exchange, they participate in a fellowship program including mentorships and job opportunity programs.

According to Sacramento Bee newspaper on Thursday, since the program began in 2007, Richmond had seen a 71 percent reduction in firearm assaults causing injury or death.

Stockton is located in the central valley of California and is listed as one of the 50 Worst American Cities to Live In for violent crime.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)