Program to help reduce Fresno crime under fire after recent graduate arrested

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Thursday, the Fresno City Council voted to clasp disconnected connected instantly suspending $300,000 successful backing from the metropolis to the Urban Peace Institute program.

"They are going retired and intervening successful things that disallow oregon forestall the constabulary from having to beryllium called, and they person the relationships successful the assemblage that let things not to escalate," said Fresno resident, Marcel Woodruff.

Councilmember Mike Karbassi says helium sponsored the point to support his constituents aft suspect, Thomas Roland, broke into the country of Van Ness Boulevard and Sierra Avenue.

"It is particularly insulting to spot an representation of this idiosyncratic with a grin connected their face, this fishy who was arrested twice, getting a certificate portion they are posting bail, astir apt utilizing the wealth that they gained robbing my constituents to bash that," said Councilmember Karbassi.

The sheriff's bureau says Roland was arrested earlier and aft his graduation from the program, and present faces six felony charges, from stolen spot to possession of guns by a convicted felon.

However six people, including Marcel Woodruff and Pastor D.J. Criner, spoke retired successful absorption to the solution -- saying 1 atrocious pome should not endanger the full program.

"We are wholly against the thought oregon adjacent the thought process of defunding a programme oregon grooming that helps bring acquisition and systemic alteration to our communities," said section pastor, D.J. Criner.

"I've been doing pack involution for 20 years successful Fresno. I started disconnected doing it retired of my ain pouch and for determination to beryllium an inaugural that allows members who don't person the privileges I person to get the aforesaid education, the aforesaid development, and the aforesaid resources to beryllium impactful successful their communities. It's captious and important," said Woodruff.

After Roland's arrest, Sheriff John Zanoni sent a missive to Councilmember Karbassi.

While helium agrees that programs similar this work, helium thinks vetting and moving with section instrumentality enforcement tin assistance forestall situations similar this from happening again.

"One portion of the process is to look astatine jailhouse booking records, and the different portion is to look astatine instrumentality enforcement contacts. These are things that they are going to person to incorporated into the vetting and inheritance process of the program," said Sheriff Zanoni.

"If they are having a affirmative interaction connected unit and these gangs successful the community, past it thing that we request to fig retired however we are going to bash our best, to marque it truthful it palmy and we don't person issues travel up again similar Mr. Thomas Roland."

Fresno metropolis officials accidental the adjacent Urban Peace Institute grooming is not until June, which is wherefore they decided to clasp disconnected connected the solution and called for an valuation into the program.

As of close now, Roland posted bail and is retired of jail.

For quality updates, travel Brianna Willis connected Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.