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DIALOGUES FOR CHANGE - ACTION PHASE!
Everyone has a role to play in ensuring our communities are safe & thriving!

After hosting 5 dialogue circles across the county where youth, community members, and law enforcement discussed issues of safety, equity, and policing that works for all, the Youth Violence Prevention Network is excited to present the action idea themes that came out of their work together:
  • Focus Area 1: Increased Educational Opportunities & Information Sharing
  • Focus Area 2: Community Events & Activities
  • Focus Area 3: Shifts in Policies & Practices Around Policing
 
If you are interested in working in diverse, collaborative action teams that will work together to continue to address issues pf community and law enforcement trust as well as safe and equitable communities please contact YVPN Community Impact Coordinator, Julie Burr, at jburr@untiedwaysc.org. 
Thank you to our sponsors and donors, we recognize your partnership in this work!

 Community-Law Enforcement Dialogues 2019

"Building trust and nurturing legitimacy on both sides of the police/citizen divide is the foundational principle underlying the nature of relations between law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve."
​Report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, 2015
Santa Cruz County has been selected by Everyday Democracy, a national organization that has been using the dialogues process to address community issues since 1989, to be one of two "Partner Communities" across the country!

The Dialogues bring together people from the community, including youth, adults and law enforcement, to meet six times to talk about policing, race, and community safety. In this circle style dialogue, everyone has an equal voice, and people try to understand each others views. Participants move from relationship building to collaborative action planning. Trained local facilitators help the group move through potentially difficult conversations and ensure that the sessions end with steps for action.

​The organizing and preparation started in fall 2018 and circles were held in the spring of 2019. Currently volunteers are organizing for implementing collaborative actions to further  build trust, equity, and public safety. Please contact us if you are interested in participating! Stay tuned and follow us on Facebook for Updates! See below for more details on the process and how you can get involved. 

Pilot Dialogues

" A simple dialogue can give someone a better understanding of your position on a specific topic"
-Pilot dialogue series #1 Participant
Watsonville 
       In February 2017 the YVPN,  in partnership with the Watsonville Neighborhood Workgroup, held three dialogue sessions where youth and law enforcement had the opportunity to discuss how to strengthen law enforcement- community relations. Below are findings that resulted from these sessions:
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Youth that participated in the dialogues series reported:
  • Increased comfort in talking to police
  • Increase sense of safety having police in their neighborhood
  • Greater willingness to report a crime
Police officers that participate in the Dialogues series reported:
  • Increased conscious of racial dynamics
  • Greater effort in interact with youth outside of conflict settings
  • Incorporating learning from the series in their policing
After youth/police dialogues
  • 71% of police say they now approach policing differently
  • 89% of youth say they would report a crime to a police officer
  • 94% of youth say they would feel comfortable around a police officer

Purpose

     The dialogues will bring together people from the community, including youth, adults and law enforcement, to meet six times to talk about policing, race, and community safety. In this circle-style dialogue everyone has an equal voice, and people try to understand each other’s views. Participants move from relationship building to collaborative action planning. Trained local facilitators help the group move through potentially difficult conversations and ensure that the sessions end with steps for action.
     The Youth Violence Prevention Network is committed to an equitable, united, and safe county. One key strategy set forth in Turning the Curve: Youth Violence Prevention Strategic Plan is strengthening law enforcement and community relations. This strategy, which is holistic and inclusive, directly addresses issues of equity and is an important component in public safety. To address this strategy YVPT has partnered with Everyday Democracy to roll out Community Law Enforcement dialogues across the county.

"Having these conversations- with respect, trust, and listening- can lead to good changes. Change often start with police and community members understanding each other better" 
-Everyday Democracy. 
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