On September 16, 2015 at 2pm Eastern, the Smart Policing Initiative presented a webinar on "Collaborating with Communities of Color". This webinar was presented by SPI Subject Matter Expert Hildy Saizow and Technical Adviser to the President's Task Force Steve Rickman. Recent citizen protests in Ferguson, New York, and Baltimore among other places highlight the fractured relationship between the police and many community members they serve. In particular, people of color living in our most challenging communities, with poverty, unemployment, and concentrated crime, feel over-policed and under-protected. This webinar “Collaborating with Communities of Color” explored the causes of this fracture, and more importantly, what actions police departments and communities can take to improve relationships and effectively collaborate. The webinar discussed how to rebuild community trust where it has eroded, develop relationships with people of color, and create accountability. Smart Policing sites provided successful examples of community-police collaboration. In addition, relevant research and recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing was highlighted.
- James R. “Chip” Coldren, Jr., Rachel Mathieu. May 2015. CNA Outfront: Engaging Communities of Color in Positive Policing, CNA Corporation.
- Anthony A. Braga, Rod K. Brunson. May 2015. The Police and Public Discourse on “Black-on-Black” Violence. Executive Session on Policing and Public Safety. Harvard Kennedy School.
- Palladian Partners Inc. 2014. Strengthening the Relationships between Law Enforcement and Communities of Color: Developing an Agenda for Action. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
- President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. 2015. Final Report of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
