Police departments are militaristic organizations with a Chief, Captains, Commanders, Lieutenants, and police officers, and they rely on police training. Many years ago, crime prevention activists worked with community activists in our county and formed the Citizens Crime Prevention Committee. We were independent from police departments and worked with many city services for training and guidance! As trainers, we work with the police but not for the police. The role of a police officer is to react to crime. The role of citizens is to prevent crime.
As citizen activists, we received a grant from the Office of Criminal Justice Planning. We set up an office with a program director, secretary, and six “Neighborhood Safety Experts” (NSE) who looked like and spoke the language of various communities. I was one of the NSE who worked with city leaders and helped organize 27 city-wide volunteer committees. We recruited volunteers and offered stipends in low-income communities. Volunteers organized “Neighborhood Watch” groups to help neighbors take responsibility for neighborhood safety and unite the community. NSE significantly reduced fear, Stress, and anger. NSE ran meetings, reduced public outrage, and involved citizens to help keep neighborhoods safe. Citizens felt empowered, and police only showed up at meetings to explain their role and answer questions. Volunteers recruited other volunteers, explaining why citizens were critical to keeping neighborhoods safe. They shared stories about problems, stopping youthful bad behavior, and solving minor issues.
In high-fear neighborhoods, and without being noticed, neighbors played checkers, watered the grass, and walked the dog while they took pictures and wrote down descriptions, times, dates, and license numbers. They identified drug dealers and traffickers, which NSE reported to police. We had many stories of success.
The NSE trained committee members, assigned roles, and learned community concerns. With guidance, youth went door-to-door with surveys and even offered to help seniors. NSE created networks of communication, a newsletter, shared stats and resources, held monthly meetings to educate, and invited experts to speak. We recognized citizens and police for their successes and had a yearly banquet. At our last banquet, 450 residents and police attended the celebration.
The 27 different police departments learned that involved citizens can create positive change and become police supporters. In the process, the Citizens Committee helped reduce crime, drugs, and many other concerns, including reduced gun sales.
“We the people” can change behavior and attitudes toward community safety and police.
At the end of six years, city leaders and police chiefs expressed appreciation for the 27 volunteer prevention committees that the Citizens Crime Prevention Committee had organized throughout the county. Prevention is all about citizens taking responsibility for home and neighborhood safety.
Every city should consider hiring and training citizens to be Neighborhood Safety Experts and help bring neighborhoods together to reduce fear and social isolation for the safety and Mental Health of the whole community.
The post Let’s Make Cities Safe for Kids appeared first on Safe Kids Now Network.
Originally Published on https://safekidsnow.com/
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