Reimagine Public Safety Pledge Workshops

As part of the Reimagine Public Safety Pledge, John Jay College of Criminal Justice and our partner organizations are hosting a series of workshops to assist local leaders with standing up and sustaining community-centered approaches to crime and violence prevention. If you have questions about these events, please reach out to the John Jay College team at ReimaginePublicSafety@jjay.cuny.edu.
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Workshops

Launch Event

The Reimagine Public Safety Pledge was launched on April 18, 2023. The event opened with statements from Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome (Baton Rouge, LA) and Chief Chad Kasmar (Tucson, AZ) and featured an expert panel discussion with the leaders of the Pledge partner organizations:

  • Valerie Jarret: CEO of The Barack Obama Foundation
  • Karol Mason: President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice
  • Maya Wiley: President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
  • Anthony Smith: Executive Director of Cities United

 

Workshop 1: Key Elements of Successful Community Violence Intervention Strategies

In this workshop, participants will learn the features of CVI programs that have resulted in positive outcomes for the communities in which they’ve been implemented as well as receive guidance on how to best engage stakeholders to support these programs (July 18, 2023).

  • Moderator: Anthony Smith, Executive Director, Cities United
  • Mayor Tim Kelly: Chattanooga, TN
  • Sateria Tate-Alexander: Founder, A.G.I.L.E. Planning Solutions, Inc.
  • David Kennedy, Co-Founder and Executive Director, National Network of Safe Communities
  • Aqeela Sherrills, Co-Founder, Community-Based Public Safety Collective 

Workshop 2: Institutionalizing CVI through Offices of Neighborhood Safety and Gun Violence Prevention

This workshop, Institutionalizing Community Violence Intervention through Offices of Neighborhood Safety and Gun Violence Prevention, discussed the purpose of these Offices and how to successfully establish them, including structure, staffing, service offerings, and potential funding sources. The panel featured leaders around the country who offered guidance on creating and sustaining these offices (December 13, 2023) 

  • Moderator: Erica Bond (Vice President of Justice Initiatives, John Jay College of Criminal Justice)
  • Mayor Melvin Carter (St. Paul, MN)
  • Daniela Gilbert (Director, Redefining Public Safety, Vera Institute of Justice)
  • Synethia White (Director of Strategic Initiatives, Cities United)
  • Wilford Pinkney (Director, City of St. Louis Office of Violence Prevention)
  • Chico Tillmon (Director of Community Violence Intervention Leadership Academy, University of Chicago Crime Lab)

Upcoming Workshops

Transforming the Response to Community Calls for Help (May 29, 2024, 3pm EST)

Diverting People Back into Communities (TBD)

Investing in Communities to Support Public Safety (TBD)

Racial Reconciliation to Heal Communities and Support Public Safety (TBD)