The Summit has catalyzed subsequent efforts related to police-community relations. Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio explains:
“At the Summit, Greater Newark LISC presented a Philadelphia case study from its national Community Safety Initiative model that builds partnerships between law enforcement, community-based organizations, and other stakeholders in order to increase safety in a targeted area. Subsequently, NPD partnered with LISC to bring the Community Safety Initiative to Newark and are forming three teams that will engage in analysis of neighborhood crime concerns and then embark on collaborative problem-solving to craft and then implement strategies to reduce crime, spur investment and build collective efficacy in Newark neighborhoods.
Also, Newark Community Solutions (NCS) presented on its Community Court, which is the first in New Jersey, and other programs that work to connect low-level offenders with services that are already available, thus reducing recidivism. NCS is now working around the Market Street Police Substation to work with the high number of residents in need of social services with appropriate services. NCS’s Newark Youth Court is now working with Newark Police staff to revisit our existing stationhouse adjustment policy and is conduct- ing Youth Court information sessions for Police Department staff.”
You can read Director DeMaio’s full letter that details these efforts and more in the introduction of our white paper that summarizes the days events, it has been published and is available for download.
Jan 28, 2013
Contact: Laurel Dumont, Executive Director For immediate release (973) 685-6772
Newark, NJ — January 28, 2013: On January 23, The Center for Collaborative Change (the Center), in partnership with the Rutgers School of Criminal Justice, the Newark Police Department (NPD) and LISC of Greater Newark, hosted the What Works Summit: (Re)Building Community Trust Between Community and Police at the Newark Club. The event was the culmination of a 3 year process starting with a 2009-10 Community Needs Assessment that identified a strong lack of trust between NPD and the community at large. The event convened national experts, law enforcement, community leaders and researchers from several NJ municipalities plus Los Angeles, Seattle, Philadelphia and Boston to discuss the main question of the day “What works to rebuild trust between communities and the police who serve them?”
“We found that the poor relationship has diminished the quality of life for residents, depressed morale for police officers, and suppressed the community-police cooperation needed to solve and prevent crimes.” said Laurel Dumont, Founder and Executive Director of the Center, “We wanted to bring people together who came from both a grassroots perspective and a law enforcement perspective, and have them interact with people across the country who are implementing new models that work.”
NPD Director Samuel DeMaio, along with key members of his command staff, participated throughout the event. During the final panel discussing next steps, DeMaio outlined short and long term plans to help build trust. DeMaio, said, “It’s not about needing more resources, it’s about using what you have the right way.”
A representative from the Philadelphia Police Department discussed a model project from the LISC Community Safety Initiative. At the event LISC announced that it is expanding this program to Newark. Rhonda Lewis, executive director of Greater Newark LISC, stressed that the first steps in LISC’s model involve closely connecting law enforcement, policymakers, community leaders, local business owners, clergy, and residents in a collaborative effort.
One such strategy, highlighted by Dr. Rod Brunson of Rutgers School of Criminal Justice includes building a strong relationship with clergy. “The idea of trust is on a continuum, you have to start from some place but you also have to build and maintain that trust… The relationship with clergy is important because they are operating critically and independently,” Dr. Brunson said.
Civil rights lawyer Connie Rice spoke on her long career reforming the Los Angeles Police Department from both inside and outside the department. Originally a litigator who brought civil suits related to officer misconduct, her perspective broadened after interviewing 700 local law enforcement professionals for a departmental report. Rice worked with the LAPD after the federal government installed a federal monitor, “A Consent decree will not change the hearts and minds of your cops, in fact it can make them harder, because they’ve been attacked by the federal court.” she continued “We had to transform the mindset of LAPD… I couldn’t keep my clients safe without changing the police department, and in turn I had to make the cops feel safe enough, to enact change.”
Expert on federal monitors, Professor Josh Chanin, found that both leadership in police departments needed a desire to change, and external community-led factors need to drive change for sustainable trust to be built; “Be aware that politics is hugely important” he said. Chanin told the story of Jordan Miles, whose violent beating in Pittsburg led to a Twitter based movement and eventual reforms in police culture including changes in data collection and training, “Citizens through social media in contact with their political representatives can make a change.”
“Empowering change is what our work is all about,” explained Dumont. “We try to connect the institutions that make a difference in a citizens life to the citizens themselves. We’re happy the event could help Newark nonprofits and institutions learn from cities all across the country about the issues our residents find most pressing.”
The Summit was followed by a Cocktails for Change fundraiser with featuring Newark Mayor Cory Booker and US Attorney Paul J. Fishman. The event featured live music from the band Julien Neals and Nick Pablo Thang, with special guest Ahsan.
I. Problem Definition: Why Is Community-Police Trust Important, and To Whom?
II. Trust in the Success of Operation Ceasefire
III. What Works? A Collaborative Model in Philadelphia
IV. Keynote Address – What Works to Rebuild Trust
V. What Works? Solutions for Different Constituent Groups
VI. What Works Under a Federal Monitor: Promoting Sustainable Reform & Community Trust
VII. Next Steps: A Commitment to Act
The Summit opened with a video produced by Amplify, Inc. introducing the importance of community-police trust for ensuring community safety and wellbeing.
Check out this clip from Brick City, Season 2 (episode 4) that features the Center’s work in community-police relations!
Also, check out this clip from the amazing local talent — Ill Matic Force — who choreographed an original dance piece on Community-Police Relations for our first anniversary celebration in 2010:
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