Initiating Conversations on Community Safety: A Blend of Policing and Mental Health Perspectives

Greetings LinkedIn community! Currently, I’m enjoying my vacation in Québec, and I couldn't help but engage in some thought-provoking discussions with my parents about the novel community policing strategies being implemented in Montreal. This sparked my interest and inspired me to share insights on a pressing issue concerning crime prevention, mental health, and community policing.

Sadly, in Montreal, like in major US cities, we're witnessing a disturbing trend that has significantly increased violent crimes. What's more concerning is the startling fact that in the US, fewer than half of these serious offenses lead to an arrest - meaning a majority of grave crimes remain unresolved.

Montreal is taking real measures to curb its crime rate, and its new chief of police, Fady Dagher ,? is adopting the features of the RESO project that he developed in Longueuil, Quebec, an initiative to foster trust and collaboration between the police and the community.

The goal of RESO is to build relationships between the police and the community and to create a more positive and collaborative approach to public safety. The project has a number of key features that I thought are interesting to highlight:

• Community Policing Forums: These forums are held regularly in different neighborhoods in Longueuil, and they provide an opportunity for residents to meet with police officers and discuss their concerns.
• Community Liaison Officers: These officers are assigned to specific neighborhoods and work to build relationships with residents and businesses.
• Youth Programs: RESO offers a number of programs for young people, including mentorship programs, after-school programs, and summer camps.
• Mediation Services: RESO offers mediation services to help resolve disputes between individuals and businesses.

The answer seems to lie in renewed community policing approaches that leverage social resources to address the root causes of crime.?

In the US, I invite you to follow thought leaders like Sheriff (Ret) Currie Myers, PhD, MBA , a criminologist and former sheriff of Johnson County, Kansas, and Ja'Ron Smith , who leads the Public Safety Solutions for America coalition and is co-author of the forthcoming book "Underserved: Harnessing the Principles of Lincoln’s Vision for Reconstruction for Today’s Forgotten Communities. They emphasize the role of mental health in crime in a recent opinion piece. People with serious mental illnesses are booked into jails 2 million times each year. About 40% of incarcerated people have a history of mental illness, and 63% of those with a history of mental illness never receive treatment while incarcerated.?

The challenge of addressing mental health crises isn't just for our local police officers but the broader community. Myers and Smith note that some successful community-based mental health care programs like Black Men Heal and The Headstrong Project are making significant strides. Give an Hour provides pro bono mental health services "for people who have experienced human-made trauma."

Technology also has a role in this space, especially in data collection and analytics. Tools like ForceMetrics compile relevant data that helps 911 operators and law enforcement to better tailor their responses to people in crisis. The University Chicago Crime Lab also provides insights to law enforcement. Given that violent crime tends to cluster in specific locations and social networks, often termed as 'hotspots', it logically follows that the most effective use of police resources would be to focus them in areas where crime is most prevalent.?

In Dallas, Texas, their violence reduction plan utilizes "hotspot" policing and intelligent offender targeting, which led to significant reductions in violent crime.? Often overlooked in criminal justice discussions, Baltimore has pioneered a promising alternative to traditional police response in mental health crises. Baltimore Crisis Response Inc. offers comprehensive care including mobile crisis teams of mental health professionals available 24/7, in-home support, and community education. The Council of State Governments provides resources for those interested in such 'responder programs', including a toolkit and tracking of successful initiatives.

But these initiatives can’t be successful without local leaders implementing supportive policies and incentives for policing. Lisa B. Nelson, CEO of the American Legislative Exchange Council spearheaded a Criminal Justice Taskforce that identified important justice reform measures such as quality training for officers (such as the Policy Leadership Academy? launched by Roseanne Ander at the Crime Lab), implementing co-responder models pairing law enforcement with social service expertise, and shifting funding sources from fines and fees towards transparent appropriations. Another pressing concern is the increasing number of unfilled positions within the nation's police departments. As per data from a 2022 study by the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF), approximately 117,000 law enforcement roles remained vacant throughout the US. This is a noticeable uptick of 10% from the year before. Would you recommend to your loved ones that they consider a career in law enforcement?

The responsibility of public safety is one that we all share. I invite everyone to partake in this essential discourse. The Policy Circle has put forth two comprehensive briefs on Crime and Safety, and Understanding Law Enforcement, which could serve as your foundational materials. Consider using them to facilitate a meaningful conversation around this pressing issue.

We all want to leave it to professionals and local leaders to address societal issues. However, the truth is that each one of us, particularly as business leaders, can contribute significantly towards making our neighborhoods safer and more nurturing. I am interested in your insights and the measures you may take to address this complex issue.? It’s hard to find a starting point.

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