Redefining Community Safety

Redefining Community Safety Town Halls & Forums 

Communities United for Police Reform (CPR) members and partners are hosting a series of virtual town halls and other events called “Redefining Community Safety,” in order to engage the public and the communities most harmed by the NYPD and create a real plan for change in New York City. 

In the summer of 2020 Governor Cuomo signed an executive order requiring municipalities in New York State to put forward police “reform and reinvention” plans. 

The City’s plan is due on April 1st and in early January, the NYPD and the Mayor’s office both refused to provide any details of the plan’s substance during a City Council hearing on the subject.  

We know what this means: The City is not preparing to create a plan that actually makes our communities safer but is instead concocting a plan behind closed doors that only serves the NYPD and City officials. So, we’ll make a plan of our own. 

The Redefining Community Safety Town Halls will be hosted by CPR members and partners in communities representing all five boroughs. You can find links to upcoming events below and we encourage you to participate to make your voice heard in how we can redefine community safety so that the needs of all New Yorkers are addressed, without assuming that policing is the answer to all concerns.

After the town halls, CPR will incorporate findings from the Redefining Community Safety series into a report to present to the public and the New York City Council. 

 

 

Organizers and Co-sponsors (list in formation):

         

Virtual Townhall & Forum Schedule:

The virtual forums and town halls listed below are all open to the public.

List in formation, please check back for updates to the schedule and registration information. 

 

Thursday, January 28, 2021, 6:00 PM
Town Hall On Redefining Community Safety

Organized by Legal Aid Society, True 2 Life, RISE of Staten Island, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

Staten Island Families join CPR member Legal Aid Society for a virtual town hall on community safety. Share your thoughts about what is needed to build a safer NYC.

Topics include:
• Imagining Community Safety & Thriving
• Reflecting On Police Practices & Experiences
• Building A Better Future • Impacts Of Gang Policing

Register: bit.ly/lasafety
For more info, please email: Victor Dempsey, VDempsey [at] legal-aid.org (subject: 1%2F28%2F21%20Community%20Safety%20Forum) (Legal Aid), vdempsey[At]legal-aid.org

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Wednesday, February 03, 2021, 5:00 PM
Forum: Community Safety for Youth by Youth

Organized by New York Civil Liberties Union & Center for Constitutional Rights 

Register: bit.ly/nyclusafety
For more info, please email: Toni Smith-Thompson, tsmiththompson[At]nyclu.org

 


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Monday, February 8, 2021, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
The Missing Story of #MeToo: A Teach-in on NYPD Sexual & Gender-Based Violence

Organized by Interrupting Criminalization and Communities United for Police Reform

Co-Sponsored by NYC Anti-Violence Project, Center for Anti-Violence Education (CAE), FIERCE, and Justice Committee

Featuring Andrea J. Ritchie, In Our Names Network and author of "Invisible No More"

Register: bit.ly/MissingStoryNYPD
For more info, please email: Communities United for Police Reform, justice [at] changethenypd.org (subject: 2%2F9%2F21%20Community%20Safety%20Forum) (j)ustice[At]changethenypd.org

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Tuesday, February 9, 2021, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Redefining Community Safety: Debunking the Myth of NYPD Discipline

Organized by Justice Committee and Communities United for Police Reform

Co-Sponsored by The Brooklyn Movement Center, Color of Change, The Gathering for Justice,  Justice League NYC and LIFECamp

Register: bit.ly/debunkNYPD
For more info, please email: Communities United for Police Reform, justice [at] changethenypd.org (subject: 2%2F9%2F21%20Community%20Safety%20Forum) (j)ustice[At]changethenypd.org

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Wednesday, February 10, 2021, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Decriminalizing Protest: A Forum on Redefining Community Safety

Organized by New York Civil Liberties Union and Center for Constitutional Rights

Register: bit.ly/nycluprotests
For more info, please contact: Toni Smith-Thompson, tsmiththompson[At]nyclu.org

 

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Thursday, February 11, 2021, 6:00 PM
LGBTQ+ Town Hall to Redefine Community Safety

Organized by Audre Lorde Project, Girls for Gender Equity, NYC Anti-Violence Project,  Public Science Project, New York Civil Liberties Union

Register: bit.ly/LGBTQSafety 

For more info, please contact: Brett Stoudt, bstoudt[At]gmail.com

 

 

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Tuesday, February 23, 2021, 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Violence Intervention Teach-In

Organized by LIFE Camp. 

Register: lifecampinc.com/publicsafety 

For more info, please contact: Vanalia Culberston, vanalia[At]peaceisalifestyle.com

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Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 5:00 - 6:30 PM
Citywide Youth Town Hall on Community Safety

Organized by Make the Road NY Youth Power Project

 

Register:  bit.ly/RedefiningSafety


For more info, please contact: Adilka Pimentel, Adilka.Pimentel[At]maketheroadny.org

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Thursday, February 25, 2021, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Redefining Community Safety: The Bronx

Organized by Bronx Defenders, Justice Committee

 

Register:  bit.do/CommunitySafetyBX


For more info, please contact: Dawit Getachew, dawitge[At]bronxdefenders.org or London Arnold, London[At]justicecommittee.org

 

 

Background: 

In the summer of 2020 Governor Cuomo signed an executive order requiring municipalities in New York State to put forward police “reform and reinvention” plans. 

Mayor de Blasio, in responding to the executive order has allowed the NYPD to lead the City’s process of public engagement that will result in NYC’s plan. The NYPD attempted to create an illusion of community engagement—a requirement of the executive order—by holding virtual events, but these events served as NYPD propaganda sessions and specifically excluded many of the organizations with the most significant and long-standing experience fighting police violence. The Mayor’s office convened a committee of stakeholders for one meeting in the fall of 2019 to lead a broader community engagement and plan drafting process, but ended that committee without notice, after concerns about NYPD control were raised in the first meeting.

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