Our Work and Vision
Real safety is when people have everything they need to thrive — a place to live, a dignified job that provides economic security and access to opportunities, and the resources to care for themselves and their loved ones. For too long, we’ve relied solely on policing and punishment while at the same time underinvesting in public housing, infrastructure, schools, and healthcare – which has caused decades of harm in Black and Brown communities. It doesn’t have to be this way.
For decades, communities have been modeling and investing in ways that address root causes of harm and violence without criminalization and incarceration. Now, local governments across the country are pushing for and investing in these community-led strategies so their impacts can be widely felt.
Public Safety Steering Committee
As a membership organization, we believe our work is most impactful when it is informed and guided by members. Bringing a diverse range of expertise and local experience, our Public Safety Steering Committee advises and shapes our work in this area:
KENDRA BROOKS
Philadelphia City Councilmember, PA
TIFFANY CABÁN
New York City Councilmember, NY
NICK DEMSKE
Racine County Supervisor, WI
CARLOS GARCIA
Former Pheonix Mayor Pro Tem, AZ
EUNISSES HERNANDEZ
Los Angeles City Councilmember, CA
WILL JAWANDO
Montgomery County Councilmember, MD
MARY LUPIEN
Rochester City Council Vice President, NY
JALEN MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ
San Antonio Councilmember, TX
ELLIOTT PAYNE
Minneapolis Councilmember, MN
MILLICENT ROGERS
Durham Public Schools Board Member, NC
ROSSANA RODRIGUEZ-SANCHEZ
Chicago Alderperson, IL
GABRIELA SANTIAGO-ROMERO
Detroit City Councilmember, MI
ARTI WALKER-PEDDAKOTLA
Former Oak Park Village Trustee, IL
MONICA WILSON
Antioch Councilmember, CA
Featured Resources
RELEASED OCT 2022!
CREATING A COMMUNITY RESPONDER PROGRAM
Community response units have transformed from a theoretical idea to functioning programs in dozens of localities across the country. This tool will help local elected officials create and scale community responder programs that help build real safety. It provides concrete steps, strategic considerations, and recommendations from experts in the field. It supports local leaders to utilize their strategic position as power brokers within government and organizers within their communities.
REFORM / TRANSFORM
Reform/Transform: A Policing Policy Toolkit is a framework and policy roadmap supporting local elected officials in making exactly these types of changes. The toolkit provides a simple, user-friendly framework for cities to evaluate policies across a dozen metrics ranging from oversight and change to department policies to limiting ICE collaboration.
INVESTING IN REAL SAFETY
Investing in Real Safety is a how-to guide for policymakers is a new budget analysis microsite meant to supplement Reform/Transform‘s comparative budgeting tool with in-depth guidance on how to examine how police budgets are structured and how to make investments in the resources that truly create safety.
LET'S TALK REAL SAFETY
We succeed when we collectively and consistently drive a shared vision of community safety. Let's Talk Real Safety is a messaging guide that provides local elected officials and their staff with shared language around community safety. It is grounded in the latest research, polling, and nationally-tested messaging.
More Resources
Blogs And Featured News
- News Article ▹ February 1, 2023
Localities must reimagine traffic safety. Here’s how.
Across the country, there is already work being done that reimagines traffic safety with the holistic understanding of what people need to move safely and freely within their neighborhoods and communities. This includes, among many things, removing police from traffic enforcement.
- Public Safety
- ▹ September 26, 2023
Local Electeds Praise Portland Street Response As National Model, Urge Continued Investment
Local elected officials representing nearly a dozen localities across the country have joined the chorus of Portlanders calling for renewed support for the Portland Street Response program.
- Public Safety
- ▹ July 25, 2023
Cops Should Not Respond To Mental Health Emergencies, Experts Say As City Weighs Ordinance
Chicago Ald. Rossana Rodriguez-Sanchez's “Treatment Not Trauma” ordinance would enable the city to handle mental health emergencies without police officers.
- Home Rule, Public Safety
- ▹ June 8, 2023
Six Florida Cities Succeed In Reducing Harm Of HB 1, End Court Challenge
Southern Poverty Law Center shared a press release marking the end of six Florida cities' lawsuit against HB 1, Florida's anti-protest and anti-local control bill.
