2021 | First Round of Funding: On January 21, in the opening session of the 2021 Winter Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Laysha Ward, Executive Vice President & Chief External Engagement Officer for Target, announced the creation of a two-year, $700,000 Police Reform and Racial Justice Grant Program, a national partnership between the Conference of Mayors and Target aimed at identifying, supporting and promoting police policies and practices in cities shown to be most effective in advancing the goal of justice for all residents. In the first year of the program, 36 cities submitted proposals for grant funding. A panel of judges composed of former mayors, a top police executive and a social justice expert selected a single grant winner in each of three city population categories: a large city (population over 300,000) to receive $175,000, a mid-size city (population in the 100,000–250,000 range) to receive $100,000, and a small city (population under 100,000) to receive $75,000.
On January 20, in the Conference’s 2022 Winter Meeting in Washington, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, Chair of USCM’s Mayors and Business Leaders Center for Compassionate and Equitable Cities, recognized the mayors of the winning cities in the first round of grant awards – Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson, Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller, and Salisbury MD Mayor Jacob Day – and announced the launch of the second round of the program and the second opportunity for a large, mid-size and small city to share in a total $350,000 award. Mayor Nirenberg called all mayors’ attention to the Center’s web page on the Conference’s website where summary descriptions of all police reform initiatives proposed by cities for grant awards are posted, the purpose being to provide mayors across the country with information on what their colleagues have determined to be effective reforms that merit consideration. Target is a partner with the Conference in the Center.
2022 | Second Round of Funding: On June 4, in the opening session of the 2022 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Reno, Target’s Laysha Ward announced the winners of the second round of grants awarded through the grant program. In this second funding round, the mid-size city population category was redefined as 100,000-300,000 residents. More than 30 cities submitted applications for grants and the program’s panel of judges again selected a single grant winner in the each of the three population categories. Recognized in the Reno meeting for their cities’ winning entries were New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Irving TX Mayor Rick Stopfer, and Central Falls RI Mayor Maria Rivera.
2023 | Third Round of Funding: Also announced by Laysha Ward in the Reno meeting was the extension of the grant program into a third round of funding. In its third year the program’s focus was reflected in a new title: Police Reform and Equitable Justice. Winners of the third round of program grants were selected from over 30 city applicants and announced in the Conference’s 2023 Annual Meeting in Columbus by Target’s Senior Vice President for Government Affairs & Risk, Isaac Reyes. His June 4 presentation of awards to the mayor of the winning city in each of the population categories – Arlington TX Mayor Jim Ross, Lansing MI Mayor Andy Schor, and Huntington WV Mayor Steve Williams – was accompanied by recognition of an honorable mention city program in each population category and the mayor of the honored city: Anaheim Mayor Ashleigh Aitken, Charleston SC Mayor John Tecklenburg, and Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora.
2024 | Fourth Round of Funding: In January 2024 Target’s Senior Vice President Isaac Reyes appeared at the Conference’s 2024 Winter Meeting in Washington to announce that another round of Police Reform and Equitable Justice grant funding was being offered to member mayors and that, as in previous rounds, grant winners, along with honorable mention cities, would be announced in the Conference’s Annual Meeting, to be held this year in Kansas City, Missouri. In a June 22 plenary session of the meeting, Reyes announced the three grant award winners and three honorable mention cities that had been selected by the program’s judges from among the more than 40 applications submitted to the program.
2024 GRANT AWARD WINNERS AND HONORABLE MENTION RECOGNITION
Large City Grant Winner: Boston – Youth and Police Initiative
The goals of Boston’s Youth and Police Initiative are to provide police with the skills and tools necessary to understand and deal with troubled youth, and to give troubled youth new ways to understand, perceive and deal with police authority. Through the YPI training, which includes role playing and dialogue, youth and police discover new, positive ways of connecting with one another. The Boston Police Department will work with NAFI, an established multi-service agency providing a range of quality care and support services, to implement YPI in four of Boston’s neighborhoods vulnerable to further gang violence and existing conditions of poverty, gang activity, violent crime, housing instability, food insecurity and other risk factors. In Year 1, all agencies will work together to both train Boston police officers to be YPI Certified Trainers and to launch and implement the four YPI neighborhood programs. At the end of year one Boston will have graduated 60 youth and between 50 and 60 police officers from YPI while certifying up to six local YPI trainers. With this new cadre of trainers, the Boston Housing Authority and the Boston Police Department will have the ability to implement many more trainings at minimal cost. More information is available from Maria Cheevers, Director, Office of Research and Development, Boston Police Department, at maria.cheevers@pd.boston.gov.
Large City Honorable Mention: Orlando – Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative
The City of Orlando’s Community Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) was developed in response to an increase in gun violence that began during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. A broad-based County-wide Citizens Safety Task Force was responsible for more than 2,000 surveys and conducted more than 50 meetings. American Rescue Plan Act funding was used to implement a CVIPI pilot in which formerly incarcerated “returning citizens” conducted street outreach. The evidence-based model demonstrated an 82% reduction in shootings involving injury or death. Program participants are provided with therapy, coaching, life skills classes and social services. In November 2022, the City’s Families, Parks and Recreation Department began implementing the CVIPI in collaboration with the Orlando Police Department. Individuals at high risk of gun violence are identified by law enforcement or street outreach workers. Because of their lived experience of violence and incarceration, street outreach workers serve as “credible messengers,” approaching high-risk individuals to participate in an 18-month Peacemaker Fellowship. Fellows create a LifeMAP (Life Management Action Plan) to identify goals and direction and have access to trauma-informed, culturally responsive mental health services, job training, coaching and additional services to make progress on their LifeMAP. NCAs mentor Fellows and interrupt potentially explosive situations. An external evaluation of this CVIPI program documented significant reductions in firearm homicides and non-fatal shootings. More information is available from Mira Tanna, Grants Manager, at miratanna@orlando.gov.
Mid-Size City Grant Winner: Madison WI – MAARI Diversion Program
The Madison Police Department (MPD) has implemented MAARI, a law enforcement-led, pre-arrest diversion program that seeks to direct individuals struggling with mental health and substance use disorder challenges away from the criminal justice system and to connect them instead with treatment, peer support and recovery services. MAARI integrates resources and focuses on overdose prevention, substance use disorder treatment, recovery, harm reduction and support. MPD created partnerships with Dane County Human Services, Tellurian Behavioral Health, Safe Communities of Madison and Dane County, the University of Wisconsin and Penn State University to enhance this multidisciplinary and proactive approach. Eligible participants, aged 18 and above, are identified by MPD officers through program protocols and referred to the MAARI program when probable cause exists for low level, drug related crimes. Upon referral, individuals undergo comprehensive clinical assessments for substance use disorder and mental health, then commit to a six-month treatment plan connecting them with local treatment providers, counseling services, and peer support. Upon completion, charges associated with their referral to MAARI are voided by the Madison Police Department. More information is available from Jim Powell, Grant Program Manager, at jpowell@cityofmadison.com.
Mid-Size City Honorable Mention: Little Rock – Crisis Response Team
In 2022, the Little Rock Police Department Command Staff was confronting an increased need for mental health services support and community response arising from the COVID-19 pandemic. As the year ended the City’s new Police Chief launched a program to address the specific needs of individuals suffering from mental illness, recognizing that unhoused and housing insecure individuals who suffer from mental illness are most in need of help. Initially, the team was staffed with four officers and three social workers, supervised by a Sergeant, who received Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training. The CRT was removed from the normal computer-aided dispatch system to allow response time flexibility, time to conduct follow-up contacts and, most importantly, additional time to be spent with individuals in need. Beyond referrals to the appropriate community services, the CRT aims to reduce clients’ exposure to the criminal justice system and lessen the frequency of their negative contacts with law enforcement. In the first four months of 2024, 259 regular patrol responses, 69 ambulance responses, and 328 emergency responses were diverted to CRT responders specifically trained and equipped to deal with people who are mentally ill, substance abusers, homeless, or otherwise in crisis. More information is available from Christopher Harvey, Senior Advisor to Mayor and Chief Strategy Officer, at charvey@littlerock.gov.
Small City Grant Winner: Bloomington MN – Increasing Trust Through Shared Values Program
Trust between community members and police departments, a long-term challenge for nearly all law enforcement agencies and communities they serve, was greatly challenged with the civil unrest that took place in May of 2020 in the wake of the death of George Floyd. Beyond community-police relationships, this affected the hiring of exceptional law enforcement professionals. The Bloomington Police Department (BPD) Increasing Trust through Shared Values Program targeted this problem by bringing community members and staff together to create a program that has demonstrably increased community-police trust and resulted in a fully staffed Department. The community members selected to work with BPD made up a diverse group: community block captains, executive stakeholders, faith leaders, and members of the BPD’s Multicultural Advisory Committee. Based on the shared values represented the BPD was able to transition its recruitment and promotion of future law enforcement personnel from the traditional competency-focused model to one based on the candidate’s character and values. To measure public attitudes toward the police, the BPD partnered with the Center for Values-Based Initiatives for a pre- and post-intervention survey of public attitudes toward police on procedural justice, engagement, distributive justice, effectiveness, legitimacy, and the community’s willingness to cooperate with them. With 16 months between the pre- and post-intervention surveys the results showed positive changes in all measured areas in both community and staff attitudes toward the police. Both groups overwhelmingly rated “treat people with respect” as the most important aspect of BPD’s policing efforts. More information is available from Police Chief Booker T. Hodges at bhodges@bloomingtonmn.gov.
Small City Honorable Mention: York PA – Group Violence Intervention (GVI) Initiative
The Group Violence Intervention (GVI) initiative was launched in York to collaboratively reduce group-related (sometimes called “gang-related”) violence, foster community engagement, and provide support for high-risk individuals, ultimately creating a safer community. The focus is on individuals who are group-member involved. The three components of GVI are law enforcement, community, and support and outreach. Law enforcement’s role is primarily to facilitate direct communication with members of violent groups, conveying a clear message about the legal consequences of continued violence. The community’s role, including local leaders and residents, is to work with law enforcement and social service providers to address the root causes of violence. This can include creating opportunities for education, employment, and other social services. The support and outreach component brings together GVI staff and others who share similar backgrounds with at-risk individuals, establishing trust and offering mentorship. GVI recently launched a More Graduations, Less Funerals scholarship program, using grant funds to provide workforce development scholarships to individuals who were perpetrators of gun violence, victims of gun violence, and immediate family members in both groups. While York’s GVI program has existed for more than five years, staff hired over the past couple of years have enabled it to reach its current capability. From 2022 to 2023 there was an 80% reduction in group-member-involved shootings, a 59% drop in persons struck by a bullet, and a 36% drop in overall gun violence. More information is available from Scott Miller, Chief of Staff, at smiller@yorkcity.org.
Other City Models
For each of the three population categories, summary descriptions of programs and initiatives submitted for grant consideration by the balance of the city applicants follow in this section. For each city, a contact person who can provide detailed information is identified.
Cities With Populations Over 300,000
Albuquerque
Open-Data Infrastructure Enhancement
Working under a USDOJ settlement agreement since 2014, the Albuquerque Police Department’s Compliance and Oversight Division has been engaged in a lengthy process of updating its policies. ReformStat, a pilot project launched in 2022, conducts weekly meetings to review action plans for specific projects. Action plans now have a stronger oversight framework to enhance reform that includes the people who will oversee carrying out each task, deadlines, milestones, resources needed to complete the tasks, and a dashboard that measures progress. In 2023, the Department received over 104 recommendations or comments through an electronic policy recommendation form; 15 of these were found to be actionable. More information is available from Rudy Wright, APD Grant Administration, at rdwright@cabq.gov.
Anaheim
Procedural Justice and Constitutional Policing Program
In October 2023, APD began a partnership with the University of California, Irvine (UCI) to implement a training program to help officers understand the importance of using procedural justice principles and the pillars of constitutional policing to serve their community. The program is designed to give staff an understanding of what constitutional policing is, how it impacts officers’ response and relationship with the community, and the importance of examining new technologies, procedures, and practices to ensure operations and actions reflect the needs and rights of the community served. An eight-hour training component focuses on employee wellness and its impact on providing better service to the community. Officers are provided tools to help them cope mentally and physically with the stresses they experience on the job. More information is available from Kerrstyn Vega, Administrative Services Manager, at kvega@anaheim.net.
Atlanta
Police Department Homeless Outreach Prevention and Engagement (HOPE) Initiative
The HOPE initiative is a cooperative effort of police officers, the City, the Mayor’s Office, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and collaboration partners that develops evidence-based strategies to address crime and community issues related to homelessness, mental health, and substance abuse by involving community members in the effort. It assists in placing homeless individuals in short- or long-term housing and in reconnecting with their families while providing essential resources (such as literacy classes) and mental health care. The initiative partners with agencies that incorporate wraparound support services to the homeless community. Trained in Crisis Intervention Techniques, the HOPE team responds to emergency calls involving persons in mental health distress to de-escalate the crisis. Over 25,000 homeless persons in Atlanta have benefitted from services and the city has seen a 38% reduction in the homeless population since 2020. More information is available from Tango Lemon, Atlanta Police Department H.O.P.E. (Homeless Outreach Prevention and Engagement) Initiative, at tlemon@atlantaga.gov.
Louisville
Advancing Crisis Intervention and Collaboration (ACIC) Program
The Advancing Crisis Intervention and Collaboration (ACIC) program expands upon the Louisville Metro Police Department’s role in a collaborative effort with the Community Crisis Diversion Program (CCDP), a deflection program launched in March 2022 designed to address mental and behavioral crises when law enforcement responds to related calls. Key components are pre-arrest intervention and focus on prevention. Since 2022, the program has resulted in more than 2,700 Crisis Triage Worker (CTW) encounters across all eight police divisions. Among a range of ACIC goals are providing all sworn officers implicit bias training; developing crisis intervention training materials; increasing the number of co-response teams with mental health professionals; training patrol officers in de-escalation techniques; and implementing a system to track demographics, use of force, and crisis call outcomes. More information is available from Vicky Caldwell at vicky.caldwell@louisvilleky.gov.
Milwaukee
Police Athletic League – Community Youth Connections
The Milwaukee Police Athletic League (MPAL) relaunched its crime prevention initiative in 2023 in partnership with the Office of Community Wellness and Safety and the United Neighborhood Centers of Milwaukee (UNCOM). Responding to an uptick in juvenile crime and violence in the city, the focus is on building trusting relationships among youth, law enforcement and the community. Targeted are youth living in communities with risk factors including poverty, unemployment, violent crime, and drug and/or gang involvement, and where schools serve a high percentage of students eligible for free and reduced-priced meals and suffer from high rates of absenteeism. UNCOM works with eight youth-serving member organizations and provides sports clinics and leagues and monthly teen nights. A hub with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee will provide baseball and basketball clinics and summer youth leagues. More information is available from Laura Engan, Budget and Administration Director, at lengan@milwaukee.gov.
Newark
Brick City Peace Collective: A Collective Approach to Violence Reduction
Founded in 2018, Newark’s Brick City Peace Collective (BCPC) brings diverse stakeholders including community organizations, law enforcement agencies and residents together at one collective decision-making table to focus on violence reduction, community engagement, capacity building, data-driven decision making, and policy advocacy. BCPC deploys city data, resources, and funding to organizations to target specific neighborhoods and communities facing a disproportionate public safety challenge. Partner organizations are deployed by BCPC to the neighborhoods most in need of the expertise they possess. Since 2018, BCPC has expanded from 16 organizations as members to a full “public safety ecosystem” of 40-plus partners focused on data, high-risk intervention, safe passage, therapeutic and clinical services, trauma recovery services, victim services and youth mentoring services. In 2023 Newark experienced 47 homicides, a 60-year low. In the wake of the George Floyd murder protests Newark was peaceful. More information is available from Kevin Callaghan, Newark Philanthropic Liaison, at callaghank@ci.newark.nj.us.
Oklahoma City
Police Trainings to Better Cultural Understanding
In the wake of the George Floyd murder, an independent survey in Oklahoma City found that while the majority of residents were satisfied with their interactions with and the services provided by the Police Department, they supported de-escalation initiatives (94%), increasing Officer training related to mental illness (94%), and a variety of specific de-escalation tactics (87% or greater). A consulting group’s recommendation that the Department should partner with community groups to provide in-service roll call trainings to better cultural understanding was seen as a call for more thorough, nuanced content on the various needs and perspectives of OKC’s diverse communities obtained from trusted community stakeholders and organizations, and as a call to build upon long-existing implicit bias trainings which continue to be a requirement in the Police Academy for all newly-hired officers. In 2020 the Department added a required Cultural Competency training module for all newly hired officers, with continuing education on this topic for all officers beginning in 2021. More information is available from Andrea Grayson, Special Program Coordinator, at andrea.grayson@okc.gov.
Portland
Body Worn Camera Program
The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) is dedicated to the implementation of a comprehensive Body-Worn Camera (BWC) program that aims to provide BWCs to all patrol officers – more than 500 are actively involved in day-to-day patrol activities – as well as personnel in specialty units when they are actively deployed and engaged in activities that are likely to result in encounters with the public. The program will cover the entire city but will focus on areas with high rates of police interactions to ensure equitable coverage and address the needs of diverse communities. A detailed policy framework outlines when and how cameras should be activated, specific exceptions for sensitive environments, and procedures for data management and storage. To ensure the cameras are used effectively to capture critical interactions without infringing on privacy, officer training emphasizes ethical usage, situational awareness, and adherence to legal guidelines. The program includes accountability mechanisms such as audit trails, performance evaluations, and strict adherence to activation protocols. Community forums, surveys, and public meetings provide feedback on the program. More information is available from Allen Vogt, Manager, Grants & Capital Funds, at allen.vogt@portlandoregon.gov.
Reno
Police Department Mobile Outreach Safety Team (MOST)
The Reno Police Department’s Mobile Outreach Safety Team is a co-responder program for mental health crisis intervention that has been underway in Reno for two years with ongoing evaluation and refinement. It aims to enhance the response to mental health crises, improve outcomes for individuals in crisis, promote officer and community safety, and reduce both unnecessary incarcerations and hospitalizations. High rates of mental health-related calls for service, limitations in responses imposed by conventional law enforcement training, and limited access to mental health resources prompted the implementation of a program pairing mental health clinicians and law enforcement officers, with clinicians providing assessments, crisis intervention, and referrals, and officers offering support and facilitating access to services. Evidence of effectiveness is found in increased referrals to mental health services, effective handling of mental health-related calls, qualitative improvements in police resources and emergency response, and positive feedback from stakeholders and community members.
individuals in crisis and increased community safety. More information is available from Lieutenant Trenton Johnson at johnsontr@reno.gov.
St. Louis
Youth Advocacy Program
Created as a part-time service in 2017, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Advocacy Program became a full-time effort two years later. The program focuses on juveniles who have the highest propensity for violence or who have been constantly involved in incidents resulting in police response. Program advocates worked with these juveniles and their families to get to the root causes of the behaviors that resulted in their entering the criminal justice system. With a spike in juvenile involvement in violent crime following the COVID pandemic, police officers recognized that they were making multiple arrests of the same juveniles for committing the same types of crimes. Juveniles who were not held at the detention center following their arrests would continue committing crimes. In response, in 2023, the Police Department entered an MOU with the Office of Violence Prevention to expand the program, which now takes referrals from several criminal justice partners, including the police, the courts, and detention centers, prior to the juvenile being placed in the criminal justice system. With this, case management can be provided by a juvenile advocate who can determine the needs of the juvenile, as well as siblings and parents, in order to provide appropriate resources. In 2023, the program provided resources to 130 juveniles. More information is available from Monet Cintron, Chief of Staff, Police Commissioner, at mccintron@slmpd.org.
St. Paul
Law Enforcement Career Pathways Academy (LECPA)
St. Paul’s Law Enforcement Career Pathways Academy (LECPA), launched in 2017, aims to create a police force that better reflects the experiences of all its members. Since 2010, the city’s Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) population has diversified faster than the average among its peers and about 45 percent of BIPOC households are considered cost burdened. LECPA is a comprehensive program that provides a range of policing and community experiences to participants while creating a structure to support them as they complete the requirements, which include a post-secondary degree, to become a police officer in Minnesota. The SPPD covers tuition for three initial courses that participants take for placement into entry-level employment in the field. As they pursue the required two-year degree, the SPPD employs them as Community Engagement Cadets for up to 25 hours per week, providing experience in the communities they will eventually serve. Of the 147 individuals who have started the program, 97% are BIPOC and/or female/non-binary; of the 23 who are currently SPPD Officers, 96% are BIPOC and/or female. More information is available from Scott Hvizdos, Grants Specialist, at sppd-grants@ci.stpaul.mn.us.
San Francisco
Police Department Implementation of COPS Recommendations
Since 2018, the San Francisco Police Department has worked in partnership with the California Department of Justice to implement the 272 recommendations and nearly 1,000 associated compliance measures in five areas of improvement identified in a voluntary top-to-bottom review by the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Office: Use of Force; Bias; Community Policing; Accountability; and Recruitment, Hiring and Personnel. On April 1, the SFPD submitted is final responses to the recommendations to the California DOJ. Among a wide range of successful measurable outcomes: Uses of force decreased by 65% from 2016 to 2022. Black, Asian, Hispanic, and American Indian recruits entering the academy increased from 52% in 2016 to 81% in 2023. Officer-involved shootings decreased by 50% in the seven years since the beginning of the Department of Justice review compared with the seven years leading up to it. The SFPD holds town hall meetings and releases body-worn camera footage within 10 days of an officer-involved shooting incident. The report documents similar substantial progress in de-escalation training, community engagement, accountability, and racial equity. More information is available from Carl Nicita, Principal Legislative Liaison, San Francisco Police Department, at carl.nicita@sfgov.org.
Tampa
Mobile Gaming Unit
The Tampa Police Department has launched “Level Up, Tampa Police’s Mobile Gaming Unit,” an initiative aiming to bridge the gap between law enforcement and underserved communities with a particular focus on youth. The initiative involves a gaming trailer that combines community policing with the popularity of video games, allowing officers to interact with young people in a relaxed and positive atmosphere. Aiming to reduce crime, build problem-solving skills, and increase awareness and education, Tampa PD’s Community Engagement Unit, launched in February 2021, has engaged over 4,000 youth through 500 events. Its “Shielding Our Teens” program enhances high school students’ economic prospects and personal development. The Unit partners with underserved schools, providing mentorship and support. Community feedback is positive, and the Unit plans to use a mobile gaming trailer program to engage the city’s younger youth, aged 10-17 More information is available from Nilda Otero, Grant Administrator, at nilda.otero@tampagov.net.
Washington
Metropolitan Police Department Co-Response Team
The Metropolitan Police Department’s Co-Response Team (COR) was formed in 2023 with five Crisis Intervention Trained Officers (CIOs) focused on areas experiencing higher numbers of 911 calls having a behavioral health nexus. Later in the year they were joined by five mental health specialists hired by the Department of Behavioral Health. Goals include timely crisis response, improved de-escalation techniques, diversion from hospitalization or arrest when appropriate, and collaboration between law enforcement and mental health providers. It is estimated that nearly 44% of adults in the city have reported symptoms of anxiety or depression and that one in 25 grapples with a serious mental illness. The COR is currently focused on four districts characterized by racial and ethnic diversity and elevated poverty rates and populated primarily by adults between 18 and 64 years of age. A fifth district will be added in 2025. To date the program has logged 1,600 calls and 715 contacts with residents. There have been informal resolutions such as de-escalating of situations in 41% of the cases, involuntary hospitalization in 37%, voluntary hospitalization in18%, and arrest in 3%, all without any use-of-force incidents involving the COR team. More information is available from Marvin Johnson, Grants Program Administrator, at marvin.johnson@dc.gov.
Cities with Populations in the 100,000-300,000 Range
Baton Rouge
Collective Healing Initiative
The purpose of Collective Healing is to foster meaningful dialogue and reconciliation among law enforcement agencies and the communities of color they serve, to increase the capacity of victim services programs, and to address officer health and wellness. When established in 2017 in a period of racial unrest under a U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Victims of Crime grant, the Police Department, as administrator, engaged 100 Black Men of Metro Baton as a core partner. The organization hosted events that instructed its mentees in safe engagement with law enforcement officers. These sessions became the basis of a five-part educational curriculum. Events held in school and church settings reached over 600 students and their parents. A Victims Assistance Coordinator position is filled by a seasoned detective assigned to assist victims of violent crimes and domestic violence, referring them to services and resources that are available and helping them navigate the criminal justice system, and an LGBT Liaison Officer position also has been created. A Cadet Program and Explorers Program introduce young people to law enforcement as a potential career. Additional information is available from Lieutenant Vanpheng Nitchin, Grant Program Director, at vnitchin@brla.gov.
Boise
Community Outreach Program Targeting Vulnerable, Marginalized & Minority Populations
Boise’s Community Outreach Program was started in 2006 and has grown over the years in response to population growth in Boise and the resettlement of refugees. Currently the program dedicates police officer and language resources, education, and intentional outreach to refugee/immigrant, African American, Hispanic, Asian American-Pacific Islander, LGBTQ+, Military Veteran, citizens in crisis, and the unhoused communities. The objective is to meet each group, where they are, by engaging and interacting with them in their own communities, in their native languages, and in an environment where they feel safe and where their voices are heard. Additional information is available from Shari Davis, Project Coordinator, at sldavis@cityofboise.org.
Bridgeport
Social Work and Crisis Intervention Team (CIT)
Bridgeport’s Crisis Intervention Team primarily targets mental health-related calls received through the Bridgeport 911 dispatch unit. This includes individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health crises, suicidal ideation, or substance use issues. A social worker and CIT police officer respond to calls in real-time, with additional social workers providing follow-up support and connecting individuals to community resources. A referral portal on the Health Department website enables community agencies and individuals to provide referrals to the CIT program. Bridgeport has a poverty rate of 22.9%, surpassing the national average, and a median household income significantly lower than the state average. Referrals to the program have increased steadily. From September 2022 to December 2022, there were a total of 40 referrals from the Bridgeport Police Department. In 2023, there were 180 referrals. In the first three months of 2024 there have been 122 referrals. Mental health-related calls account for a clear majority of all referrals. Additional information is available from Isolina DeJesus, Director of Central Grants, at isolina.dejesus@bridgeportct.gov.
Evansville
Fraternal Order of Police PAL Camp
The Evansville Police Department, in conjunction with the Fraternal Order of Police and Evansville Police Foundation, provides a summer law enforcement experience that gives interested students an opportunity to interact with police officers in a recreational setting while learning about elements of law enforcement. The citywide program, open to all interested students entering the 5th and 6th grades, contributes to improved relationships between law enforcement and the community served, as evidenced in an overall positive opinion of law enforcement in the city. During the period of anti-law enforcement sentiment experienced in communities across the nation, Evansville residents rallied around police officers. A rumor that extremist groups were planning to rally in the city prompted residents to stand with the police in opposition to the disorder and damage that accompany such events. Additional information is available from Sergeant Anthony Aussieker, Grant Coordinator, at aaussieker@evansvillepolice.com.
Fremont
Engaging Disproportionately Affected Populations Through a Cadet Intern Program
The Fremont Police Department’s Cadet Intern Program engages young adults, primarily college students who are drawn from diverse ethnic, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and often adversely affected by the criminal justice system. Because these students have varying levels of satisfaction with policing, they may be interested in careers that are not related to law enforcement. Recognition of dissatisfaction with policing among young adults during the period following the murder of George Floyd prompted the Department to seek partnerships with local colleges offering Criminal Justice programs. Ohlone Community College offers an Administration of Justice Program with a Fremont Police Captain serving on its Advisory Board. In the two years since its creation, the Department’s relationship with Ohlone’s AJ Program has included visits every semester by AJ students for discussions that cover controversial issues often uncomfortable for both police officers and community members. Additional information is available from Eric Tang at etang@fremont.gov.
Rochester (MN)
Police Department Restorative Justice Youth Program
In the Rochester Police Department Restorative Justice Youth Program, formalized in April 2022, area criminal justice agencies partner with Three Rivers Restorative Justice (TRRJ) to supply restorative justice conferencing services for youth who commit low-level crimes, generally property crimes and low-level assaults. TRRJ conferences emphasize accountability and the reparation to victims and the community for harm caused by youth offenders. Participation by victims, offenders, family, and community members is voluntary. From July 2021 through February 2023, 78 youths were referred to the TRRJ program. Of these, 67 participated in a conference process and 62 successfully completed a reparation agreement which would typically include community service, an apology letter, and restitution. The average time from referral to completion of reparations is 76 days, which is much shorter than the time involved in the traditional criminal justice process. Additional information is available from Sarah Clayton, Administrative Services Manager, at sclayton@rochestermn.gov.
St. Petersburg
Community Assistance & Life Liaison (CALL) Program
The St. Petersburg Police Department (SPPD) receives approximately 11,000 calls annually involving nonviolent and noncriminal matters, many of which are behavioral-health-related. In 2020, SPPD partnered with Gulf Coast Jewish Family Community Services (JFCS), a community-based nonprofit behavioral health and support services provider, to develop the CALL program through which contacts received on the 911 or nonemergency line or through officer referrals are reviewed to determine appropriateness for a CALL response. SPPD and JFCS “Navigators” respond on-scene in pairs and can request a licensed supervisor as needed. CALL then provides continued follow-up to ensure clients are linked with services and are stable, and a 24/7 crisis line to divert future emergency services calls. To date, CALL is responsible for 12,700 contacts. Additional information is available from Zulekha Foulen, Special Projects Manager, Administrative Services Bureau, at zulekha.foulen@stpete.org.
Stamford
Police Activities League Program
An FY 21 COPS Microgrant was used to implement a Police Activities League (PAL) Program at an abandoned community center in a high crime, high poverty neighborhood in Stamford plagued by gang violence. Targeting high-risk youth, primarily ages 10-17, the program aims to reduce violent behavior among youth while simultaneously building positive relationships among youth, police officers and the community. The initiative received broad support from the community, including the Board of Education, The Stamford Police Foundation, and numerous nonprofits and corporations. The program, which offers a wide range of youth development activities, has been operational for nearly two years and has grown exponentially. It has a full-time Program Director, some part-time staff, dozens of volunteers (many of whom are parents of youth who attend the center), and dozens of police officers who engage in programming with the youth. Additional information is available from Lieutenant Jerry Junes, PAL Police Supervisor, at jjunes@stamfordct.gov.
Cities with Populations Under 100,000
Calumet City (IL)
Police Department Community Policing Philosophy
Serving a diverse low-to-middle-income Cook County community located south of Chicago, the Calumet City Police Department (CCPD) adheres to a community policing philosophy that is reflected in the components of its operation. These include: a 21-officer bicycle patrol unit; a Citizens Police Academy that provides structured training on a range of police operations over an eight-month period; a Police Cadet Program including youth from 6th grade to 21 years of age; a Recruitment Team that engages the public to break down barriers and promote trust in the police; an intense training regimen that incorporates officer development courses focused on effective communication with a diverse community population; encouragement of officers to get involved in community events; and communication with, support for, and input to City-run youth programs and partnerships with local schools. More information is available from Bill Siems, Grant Administrator, at wsiems@calumetcity.org
East Orange (NJ)
PAL Youth Empowerment and Community Engagement Initiative
African American residents constitute 84% of the East Orange population. The PAL Initiative aims to strengthen community-police relations and empower youth while addressing implicit bias and discrimination in law enforcement interactions, particularly those involving racial minorities. It focuses on enhancing youth engagement, providing bias training, fostering cultural competency among officers, equipping them with de-escalation skills, empowering youth leadership, and implementing robust data monitoring systems to track policing practices and outcomes. Emphasis is placed on reaching out to youth aged 7-21, especially prospective Police Cadets. Furnishing future Cadets with comprehensive training that underscores community involvement, cultural awareness, and adept communication tactics is a priority. Evidence of the initiative’s impact is found in both internal and external evaluations, statistical data, and feedback from target communities. More information is available from Ladonna Johns, Manager of Mayor’s Office and Employment Training, at ladonna.johns@eastorange-nj.gov.
Edina (MN)
Police Department Cadet Program
In October 2022, responding to a significant decrease in the number of individuals who are obtaining law enforcement licenses in Minnesota in recent years, the Edina Police Department transitioned from a traditional Community Service Officer Program to a Cadet Officer Program with the goal of identifying potential students in law enforcement college programs to become future officers in the Department. An individual enrolled in an accredited law enforcement program is hired by the EPD after successfully completing interviews, background checks, medical screening, physical agility testing, and psychological exams. Cadet officers are eligible for health insurance benefits if they work more than 30 hours per week and are paid a salary for the hours they work. The Department pays for their schooling and associated costs while they are employed. To date the EPD has promoted four Cadets to Licensed Police Officers. More information is available from Lieutenant Jacob Heckert at jheckert@edinamn.gov.
Harlingen (TX)
Texas Best Practice Police Department
In 2013 the Harlingen Police Department began the process of complying with best practices in law enforcement developed by Chiefs of Police and command staff across the State of Texas and successfully gained accreditation in 2017 – one of 180 in a state with more than 2,000 agencies. Each year the Department submits annual analysis reports to the accreditation agency to show compliance with standards which cover critical community engagements such as use-of-force incidents and pursuits, among others. More information is available from Andrew Cordero, Police Grant Coordinator, at acordero@harlingentx.gov.
Michigan City (IN)
Community Outreach Initiative
Responding to an increase in juvenile offenses involving guns and a decrease in neighborhood engagement, the Michigan City Police Department is preparing a Community Outreach Initiative focusing on relationship-building, primarily with youth and secondarily with the community, including its organizations and businesses. Relationship and partnership building will focus on instilling an attitude of collective responsibility for bringing prosperity to all in the city. While the main target group will be youth ages 2-17, the totality of the initiative includes a focus on families. Initiatives planned involve partnerships with other City agencies. More information is available from Mayor Angela Nelson Deuitch at mayorangie@emichigancity.com.
North Miami (FL)
NMPAL (Police Athletic League) Program Expansion
Through NMPAL, children ages eight to18 are served through academic and athletic afterschool programs that utilize police officers, educators, and community volunteers as positive role models. Academic programming is conducted in an informal setting as an alternative to the more structured classroom environment. Having police officers serve as positive influences on youth strengthens relationships between the community and law enforcement and reduces the likelihood of youth engaging in criminal offenses. Youth served come from disadvantaged, low-income communities with large populations of African American and Hispanic residents. Since its 1997 incorporation, persistent provision of services has produced a decrease in the likelihood that youth participants will engage in criminal behavior; a decrease in reports of negative student behavior; successful completion of probation for any students on a probation term; and an increase in youth participants’ positive perception of law enforcement. More information is available from Sara Keane at sarah@belltowergroup.org.
Pensacola (FL)
Community Response Specialists
Since December 2023 the City of Pensacola has employed two Community Response Specialists to provide homeless outreach in collaboration with the Pensacola Police Department. Their mission is to provide outreach and resources to reduce homeless persons’ interactions with law enforcement that culminate in arrest or fines, and to establish relationships with people experiencing homelessness, especially populations that disproportionately experience homelessness. The Specialists assist with service calls involving those appearing to be homeless, serving as advocates for the unhoused by linking them to services and resources that are available to them, and acting as a bridge between those experiencing homelessness and available services provided by various agencies. In their first six months the Specialists have over 200 interactions with homeless individuals, providing emergency shelter, meals, transportation, and other services available in the city. More information is available from Tom Edmiston, Community Response Specialist, at tedmiston@cityofpensacola.com.
Plainfield (NJ)
Queen City Mentoring Academy
Serving a densely-populated community in which over 80 percent of residents are members of a racial minority group and 17 percent are below the poverty line, the Plainfield Police Department has for 10 years hosted the Queen City Mentoring Academy (QCMA), a summer youth program providing early intervention and prevention services to at-risk youth participants, called “cadets,” who are referred to the program by their parents and School Resource Officers. The program seeks to foster positive relationships among cadets while instructors teach discipline and life skills. Cadets are provided transportation to and from the program site along with breakfast, lunch and a snack. The QCMA program has consistently served 85 to 100 youth participants every summer since its founding in 2014. Most cadets will make an effort to return to the program each year until they graduate from QCMA the summer after completing eighth grade. Former participants have returned to serve as peer advisors to new cadets. Parents, faculty, and SROs note significant improvements in academic performance, health, and behavior of students who have participated. More information is available from James T. Abney, Police Director, at james.abney@plainfieldnj.gov.
Santa Monica (CA)
Leadership, Engagement, Action, and Discovery (LEAD) Program
The Santa Monica Police Department (SMPD) established a Juvenile Diversion Program in 2016 as the core of a system response change. As the program was fortified, the Youth Services Division focused on root causes of juvenile behavior and curbing future crime. Establishing partnerships with schools brought their focus into classrooms. In 2020, responding to requests for law enforcement involvement, they began to broaden and deepen their efforts to engage and connect with the youth in the community. The LEAD program, a citywide evidence-based prevention and intervention program that engages, connects, and builds youth and police leadership, recognizes that factors such as poverty, education, employment, and the physical environment contribute to health disparities within the community. The program’s focus on leadership development, community engagement, and positive relationships helps mitigate the negative impacts of social and economic disadvantages. LEAD has expanded into schools and deepened its engagement with youth and reports a 90% completion rate for the youth who have chosen to participate. More information is available from Ana Jara, Youth and Family Services Program Administrator, at ana.jara@santamonica.gov.
Tukwila (WA)
Mental Health Professional Co-Responder Program
A partnership of the Tukwila Police Department and local chapter of Sound Mental Health formed in August 2021, the MHP Co-Responder Program is designed to have trained mental health professionals assisting officers and sometimes handling calls for service unassisted where a behavioral health issue is presenting or is the main concern and to provide de-escalation to the person in crisis while swiftly providing the least restrictive resource. MHPs can create their own calls, add themselves to existing calls, and be called out by officers on scene to provide service. MHPs also loop in existing resources and services to provide the best continuity of care for the person in crisis. To date, MHPs have contacted thousands of persons in crisis, with roughly two-thirds being provided one or more resources. Community members, staff at Sound Mental Health, police officers, and members of varied religious communities have praised the program while also asking the City to increase the hours of availability and number of contacts that MHPs provide, and this has been done. More information is available from Jake Berry, Police Department Financial Analyst and Grant Manager, at j.berry@tukwilawa.gov.
White Plains (NY)
Youth Police Initiative (YPI)
The White Plains Youth Policy Initiative (YPI), created in 2008 in response to several negative interactions between police officers and young people in the downtown area of the city, had been dormant for several years when it was revived in 2022 at the recommendation of the White Plains Police Reform Committee. The program allows participating youth and police officers to “reinvent” the way they connect and communicate, breaking down negative stereotypes that often color the relationship between police and young people. YPI targets young people who are underserved and/or identified by the School District, Youth Bureau, Parks and Recreation or Department of Public Safety as in need or at risk. Trainers from the North American Family Institute have served as the program’s master trainers. The Institute’s YPI is a promising prevention and early intervention approach that brings together groups of teenagers with police officers who patrol their neighborhoods to participate in interactive and structured training. The program has been named a “model approach” by the Department of Homeland Security and is considered a best practice by the many police departments that have used it. More information is available from Police Captain James Spencer at jspencer@whiteplainsny.gov.
Youngstown (OH)
R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Basketball League
The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Basketball League was established in 2021 by the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Foundation and partners: the City of Youngstown, Community Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV), My Brother’s Keeper Ohio, Youngstown Police Department, and the Central YMCA. Responding to an increase in violent crime involving young adults, the League’s main goal is to reduce and deter violence among young adults just out of high school – at-risk youth in the city between the ages of 18 and 24. It combines athletics with life skills, mental health resources, educational training, and employment assistance in a safe atmosphere. Since its inception, a total of 500 young men have gone through the program, receiving an assortment of trainings covering conflict resolution, anger management, community service, job skills, mental health, drugs and alcohol, nutrition, crisis situations with police, domestic violence, entrepreneurial skills, job fairs, and banking. Many young men have started or continued employment with skills acquired in the program; 15 have entered college. Violent crimes in Youngstown have decreased since the League’s 2021 creation. Twenty-five community agencies partner with the League, donating time and money to help continue the program. More information is available from Cassandra Murphy, Project Analyst, at C.MURPHY@YOUNGSTOWNOHIO.GOV.