Gun violence is skyrocketing in Philadelphia, but in Chester, homicides are down 63 percent compared to 2020, writes Vinny Vella for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Thank the Chester Partnership for Safe Neighborhoods, started last November. It fosters better communication between prosecutors, police and the residents.

“It’s showing and putting more money where our mouth is that we are trying to invest in the community,” said Deputy District Attorney Matthew Krouse. “Because the majority of the 35,000 people that live in Chester are tired of being held hostage by the violence.”

Krouse, District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer and police officials met with the city’s most violent groups and presented a “carrot-and-stick” approach to reduce Chester homicides.

They offered free trade-school degrees, rental assistance and trauma counseling, but threatened aggressive arrests, prosecution and jail for offenders.

 “We told them, ‘We know who you run with,” Stollsteimer said. “You can’t have group shootouts anymore,’” Stollsteimer said. “We will help you if you ask us, but we will stop you if you make us.”

Face-to-face honest meetings have made a big difference because no one has said these things to them before, said Chester native Pierre Brice, community resource consultant for the partnership.

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about Chester’s violent crime success story.