Louisville's violence "interrupters" were under a harsh spotlight from city lawmakers Wednesday, amid news that the administration had suspended payments to the No More Red Dots program and the University of Louisville had ended its partnership.

Metro Council members grilled administration officials about their management of the violence reduction initiative, questioning their hiring process, oversight and spending, before No More Red Dots' leader took the podium to defend the group's work.

"I feel like I've been witnessing my own crucifixion," co-founder Eddie Woods told city lawmakers. "You don't stop anybody from shooting or homicides or anything like that with pamphlets and brochures. You have to face off with individuals most likely to shoot or to be a victim.

"... We've been doing this long enough to be more than a Power Point presentation," Woods said. "We stand between the gun and the public."

Woods' No More Red Dots program has, in recent years, been part of the city's Cure Violence strategy, through the administration's Office for Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods. City funding has gone to pay for salaries of so-called violence interrupters, many of whom are part of No More Red Dots.

But the interrupter program's been in some hot water following March reporting about an interrupter employed at the YMCA who was arrested and charged with rape, and news Wednesday that the city had paused its payments and U of L's hospital was cutting ties.

Background:Five key things to know about 'Cure Violence'

Rashaad Abdur-Rahman, director of Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods, said Wednesday at a budget committee hearing that the city had suspended payments to the group earlier this month.

Payment was withheld for "non-compliance" with financial documentation requirements, as required in the grant agreement, according to a statement from Mayor Greg Fischer's spokeswoman Jean Porter.

"Assuming documentation issues are resolved, payment will be restored. And we will continue working with NMRD to ensure documents and receipts are submitted as required," Porter said.

It was also revealed that the interrupter hiring practices had not been taking place as spelled out in the city's contract, which mandates no candidates be offered employment "without prior consultation with Metro Government and law enforcement," and describes an interview panel included a police officer.

Abdur-Rahman said police had been provided names of interrupter hires but weren't given a chance to sign off on selections. He said the office is continuing to look at how to improve the process, and later said officers would be included on future panels.

From March:He was a Louisville violence 'interrupter.' Now he faces rape charge

The University of Louisville Hospital, meanwhile, said it ended its No More Red Dots partnership because it operates a "self-sustaining and internally based violence de-escalation process" called Pivot to Peace.

Internal trauma community health workers made an outside partnership no longer necessary, spokeswoman Jill Scoggins said. The partnership ended Monday.

"U of L Hospital's trauma community health workers, who joined the organization in November 2018, have a successful track record of relationship building and implementing violence de-escalation efforts for patients recovering from violent injuries and their families," Scoggins said. She added that the hospital will continue to work with the Office for Safe & Healthy Neighborhoods.

With respect to work at the hospital, Woods' team had responded to the emergency room to quell tensions and gather information in the aftermath of shootings.

There are also three Cure Violence sites, located in Russell, Shawnee and Portland, though the Portland location is on the chopping block in Fischer's latest budget proposal.

The elimination of that site, at 448 N. 26th St., which is led by No More Red Dots, is projected to save $446,300. But the mayor's office has said it would "impact our violence reduction strategies and likely lead to a higher crime rate."

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City lawmakers could opt to further cut from the office's funds ahead of a June 25 budget vote, which is possible given council members' skepticism about the program, again made evident Wednesday.

Some questioned the effectiveness or cost-benefit of the program, while others focused on the nature of violence interrupters' interactions with police, asking if they could be more present or involved with law enforcement to better work together.

Joshua Watkins, Cure Violence program manager, said he has a biweekly meeting with members of LMPD's leadership team, and that they'd been discussing ways of distributing information about the program down to beat officers.

And Abdur-Rahman came to the interrupters' defense, arguing that they can't do the prevention work effectively or maintain credibility if they're seen as "heavily aligned" with law enforcement.

"Their jobs are to stop shootings from happening. Their job is to stop the next homicide from happening. And that means doing everything possible to be trusted by the individual who's at the margin, who's at the edge. That is their role," he said.

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Officials have previously said interrupters are paid $36,000 a year and work 40 hours per week.

Asked if No More Red Dots would continue without city money, Woods said of his team: "They're not slowed down one minute, not one time. I expected them to slow down (amid payment issues), and they didn't. ... They love this city. They love what they do."

The program has existed for the better part of 18 years, he told the Courier Journal before the budget meeting, and it's been doing it for years "without a dime."

He added that the group functions better as an "autonomous organization, as opposed to part of an initiative starting from the ground up," but that it was still working with the city.

"All we can do is keep doing the work, hope we can catch up with the paperwork, as we learn how to do what it is that the Cure Violence program wants us to do," Woods said. "... (The team is) not going to slow down."

Darcy Costello: 502-582-4834; dcostello@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @dctello. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: www.courier-journal.com/darcyc.