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San Francisco Violence Reduction Initiative (SF-VRI)

Program Goals

  1. Reduce gun violence.

  2. Reduce individual recidivism and victimization rates.

  3. Build trust between law enforcement and impacted communities.

Strategy

The Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI) works to prevent gun violence by identifying individuals most at risk and connecting them with intensive, personalized support.

Launched in 2020, the San Francisco VRI focuses on reducing gun violence specifically in District 10 but support all citywide efforts. The program engages people at the highest risk, meets with them to discuss their involvement in gun violence incidents, and offers resources to help change their trajectory.

Participants are connected with Life Coaches who provide intensive mentorship aimed at behavioral change and risk reduction. These coaches maintain ongoing relationships through regular check-ins, accountability conversations, conflict mediation, and crisis intervention helping participants navigate immediate challenges and stay on a safer path.

Through referrals, participants gain access to a broad network of supportive services, including mental health counseling, housing assistance, job training, and financial support, tailored to their individual needs.

Many Life Coaches bring lived experience with the criminal justice system, giving them credibility and a deep understanding of the obstacles participants face. This approach is grounded in trust and authentic relationships, recognizing that lasting change comes from support not enforcement alone.

District Impact and Citywide Outcomes

The Violence Reduction Initiative has contributed to measurable reductions in gun violence in District 10 and across San Francisco.

  • District 10 experienced a 50% greater reduction in homicides and non-fatal shootings compared to other city districts.

  • Citywide gun violence incidents declined by 19% in 2024, from 162 to 132.

These outcomes are supported by an external evaluation conducted by the University of Pennsylvania’s Crime and Justice Policy Lab. In parallel, internal analysis estimates the program has generated approximately $12–15 million in societal cost savings through reduced victimization and incarceration.

Advancing SFPD's Core Strategic Priorities

The Violence Reduction Initiative is a strategic operating model that directly supports and operationalizes the San Francisco Police Department's commitment to building a safer city through trust and effective prevention.

  • Strategic Priority 1: Building Strong, Collaborative Partnerships

    The VRI champions collaborative policing, shifting the focus from enforcement-only to collective action.

    • Integrated Action: SFPD works in lockstep with the Sheriff’s Department, District Attorney’s Office, Probation, key nonprofits, and community organizations. This unified approach demonstrates the Department's commitment to addressing violence comprehensively.

    • Strengthening Trust: This robust partnership model is designed to build bridges and strengthen relationships with community groups that have historically experienced distrust with law enforcement--fostering a unified front against violence.

  • Strategic Priority 2: Enhancing Responsiveness & Procedural Justice

    The VRI moves beyond reactive enforcement by addressing the root causes of violence and embracing the principles of Procedural Justice.

    • Prevention, Not Reaction: Instead of simply responding to crime, the VRI offers high-risk individuals mentorship, housing support, job training, and mental health services – connecting them with opportunity alongside accountability that reduce their at-risk behaviors and get them on a more positive path.

    • Proven Impact: This respectful, dialogue-based approach treats participants with dignity and yields tangible results, including reductions in recidivism and re-victimization, as well as an increased sense of community trust in police legitimacy.

  • Strategic Priority 3: Transparent Metrics and Accountability

    The VRI delivers concrete, externally validated data that defines "safety with respect" – demonstrating that improving public safety and building community trust are complementary goals. Our approach tracks outcomes at two distinct levels:

    • Public Safety Outcomes: Measurable reductions in gun violence incidents, homicides, and shootings across District 10 and citywide, validated by external evaluation through the University of Pennsylvania's Crime and Justice Policy Lab.

    • Program Metrics: Recidivism rates, victimization outcomes, and program engagement—providing insight into whether the intervention is reducing at-risk behaviors and activities for those most vulnerable to violence involvement.

    This dual-level accountability demonstrates that improving public safety and building community trust are not competing priorities but reinforcing outcomes. Transparent reporting on both dimensions shows SFPD's commitment to evidence-based intervention and measurable responsibility to the communities we serve.

  • Strategic Priority 4: Strengthening the Department from Within

    The VRI is a model for the community-oriented policing values SFPD is building toward, integrating prevention expertise directly into departmental culture.

    • Integrated Teams: The program models an advanced approach by pairing sworn officers with specialized civilian staff and community-based Life Coaches.

    • Building Skills: Officers in the VRI gain a deeper understanding of community needs and develop critical skills in de-escalation, relationship-building, and trauma-informed engagement, setting a new standard for policing practice.

  • Strategic Priority 5: Planning and Leading for the Future

    As a cornerstone of Strategy 2.0, the VRI represents forward-thinking violence prevention that adapts and innovates.

    • Adaptable & Scalable: The program continuously adjusts to changing violence dynamics across the city, incorporates stakeholder feedback, and generates scalable models that are currently being studied by other departments nationwide. Through our partnership with the University of Pennsylvania's Crime and Justice Policy Lab, the VRI actively contributes to the expanding field of community violence prevention.

    • Innovation Leader: By rigorously testing and documenting our model, SFPD is advancing the field of violence prevention research and practice. This positions the department as a leader in evidence-based intervention – rather than being limited to reactive crisis management – while strengthening the knowledge available to communities and departments nationwide working to reduce gun violence.

Key Partners

The VRI works across multiple city agencies, community organizations, and nonprofit partners to support participants. This coordinated approach – combining accountability, intervention, and opportunity – is essential to interrupting cycles of violence:

“The San Francisco Adult Probation Department recognizes that the San Francisco Police Department’s Violence Reduction Initiative (VRI) program will allow for better outcomes for the individuals who have been involved in gun violence and re-entering our communities.”

SF Adult Probation

“SF Pretrial is a longstanding partner in violence prevention and intervention efforts across San Francisco. We are proud to collaborate with the San Francisco Violence Reduction Initiative (SF-VRI), a multi-agency, community-centered strategy focused on reducing gun violence in the city’s highest-risk neighborhoods.”

San Francisco Pretrial Diversion Project

“The San Francisco District Attorney’s Office is committed to partnering with the SFPD and their VRI Unit to make communities safer. Together we can reduce gun violence and support those impacted.”

San Francisco District Attorney

“SVIP joins together in the belief that helping reduce gun violence, promoting community, and building stronger communication networks reduces future criminal activity and enhances neighborhood revitalization.”

San Francisco Street Violence Intervention Program

“[SFSO] believe this approach is critical to the work in San Francisco and will also help to support our goal to reduce local custody time in our county jails by reducing the numbers of arrests.”

San Francisco Sheriff's Office

“The University of Pennsylvania Crime and Justice Policy Lab is excited to support SFPD’s application to Cal VIP… our research team is committed to helping SFPD improve and expand its program through process evaluations and impact evaluation to measure program outcomes.”

University of Pennsylvania - Crime and Justice Policy Lab

How Referrals Work

Community members and service providers can refer individuals to the VRI at any time. We review every referral against our eligibility criteria and prioritize individuals at highest risk of gun violence.

If a referred individual meets our criteria, we'll contact them to discuss the program and next steps. Due to limited capacity and specific enrollment requirements, not all referrals result in immediate enrollment. Those who don't currently qualify will be connected with complementary community resources or placed on a waitlist for future consideration.

Contact SF-VRI

Lili Gamero
VRI Manager
[email protected]

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