University of Chicago experts present 'Pivot for Peace' CVI plan to Portsmouth leaders

City leaders in Portsmouth heard a detailed presentation on community violence intervention (CVI) and a local street-intervention initiative called Pivot for Peace at a public work session on April 2, 2026. University of Chicago consultants Marcus McAllister and Dr. Chico Tillman described how CVI uses trusted messengers, hospital response and survivor networks to reduce near-term violence and urged sustained investment and formal agreements with local hospitals.

Dr. Chico Tillman, executive director of the Community Violence Intervention Leadership program at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy, told the council that CVI is "not a single program" but "a coordinated network of people, institutions, strategies working together to prevent violence and develop harm-reducing conditions." He said CVI focuses on people at the highest near-term risk — individuals whose behavior contributes disproportionately to community violence — and that interventions aim to reduce harm within 24 months.

Marcus McAllister, CEO of McAllister Consultancy and Training, described training, professionalization and community partnerships his group provides. He noted that the local Pivot for Peace team (branded as Pivot for Peace 757) is in training with the presenters and that the University’s CVI Leadership Academy has graduates working with several cities.

The presenters emphasized three practical CVI components: street outreach by trusted or ‘‘credible’’ messengers who have lived experience and community access; hospital-based response to meet victims during the "golden hour" after injury; and workforce development and survivor networks to support long-term recovery. "Trusted messengers have access to people at the highest risk," Tillman said. "We can't help you until I know what's really going on." Marcus McAllister added that philanthropy often fills gaps that restricted grants do not allow, citing a local example of the Beasley Foundation providing $50,000 to Portsmouth United.

Speakers also discussed funding and metrics. Tillman and McAllister argued local government plays three roles — convener, funder and barrier remover — and urged investments that are large enough to be effective. Tillman cited commonly used program-cost estimates when urging sustained funding and said data collection is essential: "You can't expect what you don't inspect," Mayor Glover said during the discussion.

Council members pressed practical questions about whether Pivot for Peace could be spun off as a nonprofit buffer to receive philanthropic funds (some state legislation to enable that did not pass), whether interveners can be paid full-time with benefits, and how municipal hiring rules and base-access rules (for the Navy hospital) would affect bedside hospital response. Staff and presenters said MOUs with trauma centers such as Sentara are needed, that bedside training is in place for at least one certified responder (Daryl Redmond), and that logistical and HIPAA constraints would require tailored agreements with federal installations.

No formal motions or votes were taken. Council members and presenters agreed on next steps including additional training, formalizing MOUs with hospitals, building data collection standards to report program outputs and outcomes, and exploring philanthropy and conduit arrangements that provide flexible funding. The public work session concluded with the mayor thanking the presenters and adjournment.

Ending: The council requested follow-up on MOUs with Sentara and the Navy hospital, additional training for Pivot for Peace staff, and presentation of standardized metrics at a future meeting; no ordinance or budget action was decided at this session.