A $500,000 federal grant will support a Hartford police team focused on boosting the currently meager number of arrests and convictions in nonfatal shootings.
Formed last year, the Shooting Response Team seeks to gain victims’ trust and break down the “no snitch” code that stymies many investigations.
“Not only do unsolved shooting cases fail to provide justice for victims and their loved ones, but they contribute to ongoing cycles of violence by undermining police efforts to deter gun violence and contributing to the willingness of individuals to seek retribution,” the application for the U.S. Department of Justice grant said.
The grant, Mayor Luke Bronin said at a press conference Thursday announcing the award, “is a recognition of the deliberate, evidence-based work that the Hartford Police Department is already doing, and it will provide valuable new resources to strengthen that work.”
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Hartford Shooting Victims
Shooting victims in Hartford over last 5 years and percent change from previous year.
| Year | Shooting Victims |
|
|---|---|---|
| 2021 |
|
163 (-27.56%) |
| 2020 |
|
225 (57.34%) |
| 2019 |
|
143 (0.00%) |
| 2018 |
|
143 (6.72%) |
| 2017 |
|
134 |
Hartford Homicides
Homicides in Hartford over last 5 years and percent change from previous year.
| Year | Shooting Victims |
|
|---|---|---|
| 2021 |
|
35 (40.00%) |
| 2020 |
|
25 (8.70%) |
| 2019 |
|
23 (9.52%) |
| 2018 |
|
21 (-27.59%) |
| 2017 |
|
29 |
SOURCE: Hartford Police Department
What’s happening with nonfatal shootings in Hartford?
While the city’s homicide rate over the past 10 years has averaged about four times the national average, killings represent a relatively small part of most gun violence. Nonfatal shootings outnumbered homicides by about 7-1 in 2019 and 9-1 in 2020, according to the city’s application for the U.S. Department of Justice grant.
Within the past two years, 90.2% of victims struck by gunshots survived. In 2019, Hartford police investigated 23 homicides and 124 nonfatal shootings, clearing 65% of the homicides, but only 23.4% of the nonfatal victimizations. In 2020, police cleared 68% of 25 homicides, but only 8.1% of nonfatal shootings.
Why is the nonfatal shooting clearance rate so low?
Both murders and nonfatal shootings tend to rise from gangs and the drug trade. These cases are hard to solve, police say, in large part because both witnesses and victims refuse to cooperate with investigators.
Their reasons for keeping quiet include a distrust of police, the street code against snitching, belief that police are unlikely to catch the offenders and some victims’ preference for retaliation outside the criminal justice system, according to experts cited in the grant application.
Findings from a recent study of incarcerated shooting victims found that 66% who did not cooperate with police either knew their shooters or had identifying information, but did not cooperate due to distrust or belief that the police did not care about helping them, according to the grant application.
In Hartford, 34% of shooting cases in 2019 and 27% in 2020 were closed out explicitly due to uncooperative victims/witnesses, the grant application says.
“Given that less than 25% of shooters in the city are apprehended for their crimes, it can be difficult to overcome the legal cynicism and fear of retaliation that prevents victims and witnesses from aiding investigations,” the grant application says.
What can be done?
Historically, nonfatal shootings often are investigated by detectives who have higher caseloads. Formed in March 2021, the Shooting Response Team seeks to dedicate the same time and resources to nonfatal shooting investigations that have been applied to homicides.
The six-member team, the grant application says, “emphasizes a victim-centric approach that is expected to play a vital role in clearing shooting cases.”
All shooting victims are connected to victim advocates through the state’s attorney’s office of victim services, and victims at-risk for becoming tomorrow’s shooters are referred to outreach and service providers whenever possible, Hartford police say.
What will the grant fund?
The grant will support continuation and expansion of the team (the goal is to hire two more members by March) and an evaluation after two years. The evaluation will explore whether the effort significantly improved responses to nonfatal shootings and increased clearance rates. Caseloads are to be evaluated annually to reassess whether additional investigators are needed.
Also, police say a new crime analyst in the major crimes division will help the Shooting Response Team gather intelligence and analyze data. The team also has a research partner, Lisa Barao, assistant professor of criminal justice at Westfield State University.
Police Chief Jason Thody said the grant gives the department “additional tools to help keep Hartford families safe by allowing us to investigate nonfatal shooting incidents more rapidly and with the increased focus they deserve.”
Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com
