The Fresno City Council will take more time deciding how a taxpayer-funded anti-violence program should operate.

The Urban Peace Institute academy came under scrutiny after GV Wire revealed that one of its recent graduates was arrested shortly before and after completing the 40-hour program.

Councilmember Mike Karbassi wants to pause funding for UPI until questions about how it should vet its academy participants can be answered. After debate on Thursday, the item was tabled.

Thomas Ray Roland Jr. graduated from the most recent UPI academy on March 22. On both March 13 and March 26, Roland was arrested by Fresno County Sheriff’s deputies.

Official charges and a court date are pending. Sheriff John Zanoni said Roland is also being looked at for several break-ins in northwest Fresno. Deputies found Roland last month with more than 20 allegedly stolen firearms.

Related Story: Deputies Arrest Fresno Urban Peace Graduate After Finding Him With 25 Guns

Karbassi would like to see standards set to prevent those with active criminal records from receiving taxpayer-funded training.

“This was very embarrassing. I don’t want this to happen again. I don’t want to cut funding for the program. I’m not suggesting that, but I think we need to hit the pause button,” Karbassi said.

During the debate, councilmembers Luis Chavez, Garry Bredefeld, and Nelson Esparza indicated they want changes as well.

The city council voted 6-0 to table, with Chavez absent during the vote.

UPI Funded by City

Last December, the city council unanimously supported UP with $300,000 from state grants. Karbassi’s resolution called for suspending UPI’s funding, possibly revamping its contract, and asking for more vetting of academy participants.

Eric Lam, senior director of program and strategy at UPI, told the city council via Zoom that Roland’s certification would be revoked.

“We do teach standards of conduct and practice, which include not participating in any illegal activity. But, participants are not required to sign the standards,” Lam said.

Lam said that the city or groups sending participants are responsible for vetting. He said accountability was essential.

Dyer Defends Program

City staff said the local gang-prevention group Fresno United recommended Roland for the UPI academy.

Mayor Jerry Dyer, who helped institute anti-violence training in his 18 years as the city’s police chief, defended the program. He said such specialists can calm down escalating gang violence, especially retaliations.

“(Urban Peace Institute is) extremely reputable. I’ve met with them. They are widely known in law enforcement circles as being effective trainers,” Dyer said.

Dyer said it was critical to continue funding the program. He agreed it is worth examining whether certain standards should be set.

“I’d hate to throw the baby out with the bathwater on this. And I really think that what we need to do is just look a little bit closer at what we require of the individuals participating in the training,” Dyer said.

The next training session, aimed at law enforcement, is set for June, Dyer said.

Community Members Defend Suspect, Program

Marcel Woodruff, a Fresno gang prevention specialist, told the council he opposed any funding cuts. He said he recommended Roland to the academy. He called Roland “a friend,” and was sad to learn of his recent arrest.

“(I’ve been) working with Thomas for a long time, and so I’ll try to plug him in anything I can for … his development, his advancement, because he’s been a really key pillar in the community,” Woodruff told GV Wire.

Woodruff said Roland helped start Fresno United.

“He spearheaded bringing a bunch of rival gang members together roughly about four years ago. And he’s been really influential and really impactful around reducing certain conflicts. And he did a really good job,” Woodruff said.

Pastor DJ Criner also spoke in support of UPI.

“Because of an incident, let’s not hurt an entire community and (take) funding from it because of an apple, that possibly is not the ripest in the bunch,” Criner said.