INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis leaders are working to prevent another record deadly year and the peacekeeper program is a key part of that effort.
Daniel Mallory is on a mission to help others, through the Peace Makers program, aimed at reducing gun violence across both city and county lines.
"We're here to help the community, you know, we're not here to tear you down. We're here to build you up," Mallory said. "We want to see everybody safe, successful, and want to see everybody alive."
He's one of 42 newly hired workers in the program that is broken up into three levels. The first is interrupters, who help stop conflict before it begins, then outreach workers who help identify those who may be at high risk of becoming impacted by gun violence, and life coaches, who worked with those individuals in need of help, whether its job-related or mental health.
"Things can happen in Greenwood. Things can happen in Carmel, happen in Fishers, it just depends on that certain individual who makes the wrong choices," Mallory said.
Mallory currently serves as a life coach to two people so far, with a goal of helping ten by the end of the year.
"I think that we de-escalated a lot of different situations that had we not, it could have went, you know, south," Mallory added.
Homicides across the area have gone down compared to this time last year and Mallory believes the work the program is doing, is helping those vulnerable steer a new path.
As of Friday, IMPD said there had been 100 non-fatal shootings with 111 victims so far in 2022.
"Yeah, I would say it's working. We can't say everybody, unfortunately, you know, gun violence still exists, and there's still going to be some people that we can't reach. I wish that weren't true," Mallory said.
The Office of Public Health and Safety say they have funding for eight more peacekeeper positions. Those interested can apply by emailing OPHS@indy.gov.