WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) – The Wichita City Council voted Tuesday to approve $1.6 million in funding for the Cure Violence program, a critical initiative designed to reduce violent crime, including shootings, across the city. The funding, from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, will support the program through 2026.

The Cure Violence program, which began operating in September, aims to address the root causes of violence by using public health methods to prevent and interrupt violent behavior before it escalates. In its first month of operation, the program served 61 families through social service referrals and outreach efforts. He also intervened in 18 incidents, including five gun violence mediations.

During Tuesday’s meeting, community members gave emotional testimonies; most expressed support for continuing to fund the program.

“If you ask those parents who just lost a child on QuikTrip if they would give that money to get their child back, they would say yes,” said one community member.

After more than an hour of deliberation, the council narrowly approved the funding with a vote of 4 to 3. While most council members expressed support for the program, concerns about the reliance on temporary funds from ARPA raised questions about long-term sustainability.

District 5 Council Member JV Johnston was one of the voices expressing caution. He expressed concern about what will happen when ARPA funds run out, especially if the city faces a budget shortfall in the coming years.

“Is the government going to go back and do it with our general operating budget? I’m not sure that’s going to happen,” Johnston said.

Despite these reservations, other council members were eager to point to the program’s early successes as a reason to keep funds flowing.

Brandon Johnson, District 1 council member, highlighted the positive results of the program in a short period of time.

“We are already seeing success. They have had several interventions; They talked about a 30-day ceasefire that they managed to negotiate. Those are real things,” Johnson said. “Who knows what would have happened if the ceasefire had not happened?”

Johnson added that he believes the program is not only a nonprofit initiative but an essential extension of the city’s crime prevention efforts.

“This has to be permanent financing,” he emphasized. “One percent of the WPD budget should go to violence interrupters. “I think that should be a permanent thing.”

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