Invited 50 known gang members, both Norteños and Sureños, to attend two Ceasefire call-ins

Invited 50 known gang members, both Norteños and Sureños, to attend two Ceasefire call-ins scheduled this month, Deputy Chief Kelly McMillin announced Monday.

"They are probationers, parolees, two-strikers, very high-risk individuals who are in our community," McMillin said.
Ceasefire aims to reduce gang violence by giving gang members an ultimatum to give up their criminal ways or face prosecution and hard time. Those taking part in the program are offered employment opportunities and training.
"It's not going to stop violence tomorrow," McMillin said. "The evidence says that we should see, in relatively short order, some reduction in violence."
He said violent crime has dropped by 30 to 70 percent in other places that have adopted the Ceasefire program.
Sgt. Sheldon Bryan said police have a list of up to 160 gang members who would qualify to take part.
"We'll eventually go through the entire list," he said. About 20 to 25 people are expected to participate in each call-in.
The call-ins are not open to public, he said.
Participants will hear from several officials, including CalStar pilots, medical workers, social workers and clergy.
The Ceasefire program is paid for in part by a $357,021 matching grant from the state. The money is part of $9.2 million in anti-gang-related funding announced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in March.
Salinas was one of five cities chosen for the new state initiative, which is based on a program created in Boston in 1993 and since adopted by other cities.

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