A former teen gang member checks out books Jan. 29 at the Aurora Public Library. The 17-year-old, who prefers to go by the name "Marcos," is a graduate of Aurora's Gang Reduction Impact Program, or A-GRIP, which officially launched in 2010. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

AURORA | Signaling that Aurora gangs are here to stay, so, too, is  permanent funding for the city’s gang reduction and prevention program.

A former teen gang member checks out books Jan. 29 at the Aurora Public Library. The 17-year-old, who prefers to go by the name "Marcos," is a graduate of Aurora's Gang Reduction Impact Program, or A-GRIP, which officially launched in 2010. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
A former teen gang member checks out books Jan. 29 at the Aurora Public Library. The 17-year-old, who prefers to go by the name “Marcos,” is a graduate of Aurora’s Gang Reduction Impact Program, or A-GRIP, which officially launched in 2010. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)
A former teen gang member checks out books Jan. 29 at the Aurora Public Library. The 17-year-old, who prefers to go by the name “Marcos,” is a graduate of Aurora’s Gang Reduction Impact Program, or A-GRIP, which officially launched in 2010. (Marla R. Keown/Aurora Sentinel)

Aurora’s Gang Reduction Impact Program, or A-GRIP, will be funded from Municipal Court Surcharge fees for about seven years. The program is currently being run on about $150,000 in temporary grant money.

“It’s an exciting opportunity,” said Aurora Police Chief Dan Oates at the city council’s April 15 meeting, where lawmakers approved the plan.

According to the city, there are 175 identified gangs in Aurora with more than 1,270 gang members. In A-GRIP’s target area, which includes a large swath of north Aurora with about 79,000 people, there are 92 identified gangs with about 500 known gang members. In 2010, 70 percent of the violent gang-related crimes within the city occurred in that area. Those crimes include aggravated assault, robbery, sexual assault and murder.

To be part of the A-GRIP program, a gang member has to genuinely want to leave gang life. With the help of Aurora Mental Health, probation officers, mentors, Denver-based gang reduction programs and caseworkers, A-GRIP helps create a path for gang members to break away. The program usually lasts about 12 weeks.

Representatives from High Point Church, Denver’s gang reduction program, Aurora Public Schools and Comitis Crisis Center attended the meeting to support the program. Council members also spoke to support funding the program.

“This is really neat, and this is something that’s really going to have an effect on people’s lives,” Councilwoman Renie Peterson said.

Money for the A-GRIP program would be culled into an umbrella program called “Aurora For Youth” and money would also be used to encourage participation in the Police Explorer Scouts and to create a police athletic outreach program for youth, according to city documents.

Police officials estimate that Aurora For Youth will receive about $308,000 in 2013, which will include funding for the Drug Abuse Resistance Education, or D.A.R.E. program.

In 2015, Aurora For Youth would receive about $311,000 in funding.

Reach reporter Sara Castellanos at 720-449-9036 or sara@aurorasentinel.com.

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