Washington, DC – Mayors across the country have undertaken significant efforts to further strengthen
police/community relations, a new report of 49 cities released today from The U.S. Conference of Mayors shows.

The report finds that in response to the tragic shootings in Baton Rouge, Falcon Heights, and Dallas that rocked the nation in early July, mayors have engaged police chiefs, local leaders and others in community conversations on race and policing, including other activities intended to improve the relationship between the police and communities they serve.

In undertaking these efforts, mayors and other local leaders are responding to President Barack Obama’s July 13 call to all Americans – no matter who they are or where they live – to do whatever they can to foster community conversations on race relations, justice, policing, and equality.

Today the U.S. Conference of Mayors is releasing a report that describes such efforts in 49 cities in 30 states that submitted information to the organization. Some of these efforts were initiated specifically in response to the President’s call and the needs of community members to come together at a difficult time; others have been underway for some time.

“This report shows that mayors are stepping up to the challenge that the recent shootings have posed to their communities,” said Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran. “They are working with
police chiefs, other local officials, clergy, and other community leaders during this difficult period, examining their local situation, listening to their residents, and working in partnership with them to strengthen police-community relations,” he continued.

On July 13 President Obama asked The U.S. Conference of Mayors and the National League of Cities to help
make these conversations occur – in 100 cities in 30 days. The Conference and NLC agreed to do this and have been working with the White House to encourage mayors and other local officials to convene community conversations. As of today 105 cities have told our two organizations that community conversations and other activities have occurred and/or are planned.

Cities included in The Conference of Mayors report are:

Anchorage AK                           Little Rock AR                       Phoenix AZ
Anaheim CA                              Fontana CA                         San Jose CA
San Leandro CA                       Torrance CA                     Denver CO
Greeley CO                                East Hartford CT                  Hallandale Beach FL
Orlando FL                                Sunrise FL                              Tallahassee FL
West Palm Beach FL               Macon GA                      Champaign IL
Evanston IL                              Highland Park IL                  Gary IN
Wichita KS                                Louisville KY                           New Orleans LA
Newton MA                               Baltimore MD                       Portland ME
Westland MI                            Burnsville MN                      Mooresville NC
Salisbury NC                            Albuquerque NM                  Albany NY
Akron OH                                Toledo OH                               Youngstown OH
Oklahoma City OK                 Gresham OR                    Pittsburgh PA
Columbia SC                              Sumter SC                              Clarksville TN
Gallatin TN                              Knoxville TN                            Nashville TN
Houston TX                               Killeen TX                               Salt Lake City UT
Shoreline WA