In 1994, Commander Dale Brown began training people on Detroit’s Eastside to protect their families and businesses from violent drug gangs.

In 1995, Commander Brown started managing threat by developing strategies, tactics and logistics to rid his community of violent crimes. With the assistance of the Detroit Police Department, this program resulted in a 90% decrease in violent crimes and brought a total stop to home invasions and murders in specific neighborhoods. Due to these combined efforts, an elite volunteer unit known as the Violence Intervention Protective Emergency Response System (V.I.P.E.R.S.) was created.

The quality of life for the community improved dramatically. As a direct result of the V.I.P.E.R.S. program the local business community reported an increase in business and the apartment building owners reported a profit for the first time in 20 years.