Community Policing Reform

On a national scale, to a local level - we are in a crisis when faced with police and law enforcement interactions with people of color. More than ever, we must address community violence - and invest in our young people to prevent crime rather than relying on a police-only strategy. We can support our police while also working to improve police interactions with the community and the policies dealing with the city they protect and serve.

• We need to engage residents to determine which criminal activities they are most affected by, creating an accurate law enforcement priority list shaped by the people who live in the area

• We need to make sure that community policing is effectively working with the local leaders to train them in order to reduce crime

• We need to improve trust between law enforcement and residents

• Demand more cultural competence training for police officers before they can join the city’s police force

• We need to understand and address youth violence as a public health issue

• Decriminalize marijuana - free up our court system and stop our city from heavily prosecuting for non-violent crimes

• Expand mental health programs that assist police when dealing with people in an emotional or psychological crisis

• We need to focus our effort to curb the overdose epidemic on proper treatment, not incarceration. That means using our advanced healthcare resources in the region to ensure that every individual suffering addiction has access to the resources they need to recover

• We also need to include more renters and younger citizens in our government decision-making process, to help shape a future of our city that will benefit everyone