Some Questioning "Don't Shoot" Program Efforts

PEORIA -- With all the violence in the Peoria area, many are questioning if those advertisments behind the "Don't Shoot" campaign are really working.

Wednesday night was just one violent night among a week of crimes.

Authorities are trying to minimize violence through the "Don't Shoot" program, but some people don't even know what it is and some aren't sure it's enough to help.

As authorities work to crack down on the violence, those living in the middle of it say the streets are worse than ever.

Jamal Anderson said, "Just people, people are violent. And, it's a mixture of boredom, anger and disparity."

The "Don't Shoot" campaign is intended to steer people away from lives of crime. Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis said right now we're in the educational component, he said the campaign really hasn't even begun.

Ardis said, "What this is all doing is waiting for the law enforcement side to really implement. They're going to bring back legal information to the Grand Jury and there will be indictments involved once that happens, then the program actually starts."

One man who's lived on the south side of town his entire life isn't convinced this program will be the one to change things.

Nick Rutherford said, "That's the thing about it... you have to get them in, you have to reel the kids in. I mean with some kind of activity or something. Just to get it on their mind, I mean these streets are rough."

Mayor Ardis said right now his goal is to keep spreading awareness. He said police know the community is expecting results.

He said, "They know there is a sense of urgency to the community to make this happen but they're not going to rush that at the expense of not having good information to bring back to make sure we can prosecute these people."

Mayor Ardis said police have no timeline to end their investigation. He said when it is finished, he expects it to make a significant impact.