How the Voice of Our Residents Can Help Us Reimagine Public Safety

There are almost no words for the images that filled my social feeds this weekend.

First, the video of U.S. Army second lieutenant Caron Nazario being pepper sprayed and harassed by two police officers.

And then learning Sunday night of the murder of Daunte Wright in Brooklyn Center, MN. The incidents compound a very tense environment for Black men and the Black community as a whole as we watch the Derek Chauvin trial.

As a leader of the nation’s largest and oldest organization supporting local leaders and as a Black man, these two incidents have been particularly difficult to watch.

The truth is, we know the long history of racism and policing in Black and Brown communities. Many in the Black, Latinx, and other communities of color are still reeling from the murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor and so many more.

Over the last few months, the National League of Cities has been working with local leaders who are passionate and committed to thinking differently about public safety in their communities. Our Re-Imagining Public Safety Taskforce is a key part of NLC’s ongoing work to help local elected officials and municipal staff learn best practices from each other and gather the best information from the experts. It is focused on centering racial equity and community engagement as the best approaches for public safety.

This weekend really reminded me why this work is important. The uprisings in Brooklyn Center, MN and the surrounding area are another clarion call from residents for justice and fairness. I know personally Mayor Mike Elliott of Brooklyn Center and other Minnesota leaders are committed to getting it right. They are committed to engaging their community, talking with their residents and reforming public safety in their cities.

As we await the verdict in the Chauvin trial, our communities are on edge. This work is hard, emotional and requires a long-term commitment. I want to urge local leaders to use this moment as an opportunity to reach out to your community to have conversations about what is happening in your city. Ask your residents how they are feeling, talk with faith leaders and community activists about how you can engage and partner with them. Reach out to your police departments, bring them and the community together. This is the moment for local leaders to lead.

Now is the time for local elected officials to show why they are the most trusted and why we care.