Government Rethinks LIU After Program Shutdown
As violent crime climbs, attention is turning to a government program that was designed to prevent at-risk young people from returning to the streets. The Leadership Intervention Unit appears to have spent months in limbo, particularly after its employment program ended in May. Commissioner of Police Doctor Richard Rosado says officials have now completed an assessment of the unit and are adjusting its operations. But did scaling back its work remove a critical lifeline and contribute to the spike in violence? Rosado was asked to address that concern.
Richard Rosado
Dr. Richard Rosado, Commissioner of Police
“I was present when the then minister and the CEO met with the director of LIU and informed him two months in advance that an assessment would be done after a two-month period to determine the effect of all the intervention programs they had at the time. So the director was tasked to inform everybody. Since then we have completed that assessment and we have found that some of the social intervention programs were not reaching the targeted population they should reach. We have also found out that some of the social intervention programs needed some tweeking because of the results or the impact it was having in the different communities. We have learnt from the programs, we have met with the minister and CEO and we have started the process, like restructuring and refocusing the Leadership Intervention.”
Reporter
“Would you accept that since the LIU program was put on suspension that crime has escalated and would you say that if the noticer was given to the director, certainly it did not the recipients we spoke to, they were caught off guard, did the director fail in passing on that information that a suspension was forthcoming.”
Dr. Richard Rosado
“I think it is something we have to look at, to see whether he did meet with them. I think it is something we have to address. I would not concede that because of the, in fact the LIU program was not discontinued. All the social intervention programs should have continued. If it did not, then the LIU director has to answer. The only program that was discontinued is the temporary employment program.”
ComPol Rosado says the temporary employment program was never meant to be indefinite.
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