Bermuda?s gang initiative is beginning to bear fruits says Sgt De Lacy Davis.

The New Jersey policeman will be speaking at an anti-violence public forum tonight along with gang experts who have brokered truces in the States.

They include a man known as ?Loose? who has negotiated deals between 15 warring factions involving 500 people in Newark, New Jersey and a man known as ?Bishop? who did a similar function.

Sgt. Davis said: ?As we walked Court Street yesterday we saw a young man who had come to the gang forum last month who stopped Bishop on the street and said ?I am no longer banging on the street, I now have a job. I have been able to do X, Y and Z? based on the services made available and recommendations from the team.?

Other initiatives have included grief counselling for mothers whose children have been victimised by gang violence.

Another plank is the talk at the wall scheme which gets churches and communities to talk to people at local hangouts, find out what services they need and to then bring those to them.

?A lot of people are locked out of society and need a hand up,? said Sgt. Davis.

?Each night we have been here we go to the streets to talk to the people to hear them say what the needs are and then come back to the ministry and see how they can be addressed.

?When people are in pain they try to numb themselves with drugs and/or alcohol.?

Minister Derrick Burgess will host tonight?s forum at 5.30 at Ruth Seaton James Auditorium.