To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Rochelle Brown, Prosecutor’s Office Operations Director
title
RE: Peacekeepers Training
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
Approve the expenditure of up to $50,000 in training funds to bring in Peacekeepers International to Train 100 police officers and 100 community members in respect for authority combined with bias and sensitivity.
BACKGROUND:
The Peacekeeper Global Initiative is a Community Action Plan designed to help promote peace, love and unity in a community that is plagued by crime and gun violence. The organization has been in 32 cities in the US and 3 foreign countries over the last 15 years. Local citizens are recruited and then trained in: Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Conflict Resolution, Self-Defense, CPR and First Aid, Love Thyself and Respect Thyself, and The Proper Handling of People. The group is known by their bright orange sweatshirts that typically have a peaceful message like “I am Present for Peace” and they are given ID by the organization to certify they have been properly trained. The Peacekeepers offer many advantages to the communities in which they reside. Examples of this programming include Barbershop Talks, Police Mental Health Training, Mediation Sessions and Education, and Community Sensitivity Trainings. Of interest to law enforcement, the group offers ENOTA Training (Educating Neighborhoods to Obey Those in Authority) and AT-ONE Training (Alternative Training Offered to Neighborhood Enforcement or Educators).
DISCUSSION:
Recently, the group has started a “Stop the Beef, Before the Grief,” initiative to combat summer violence in Flint. Prosecutor Leyton supports this ongoing effort and seeks to expand our collaboration. To that end, the Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office has partnered with the Peacekeepers to combine ENOTA and AT-ONE trainings for the first time. The idea is to bring members of the community together with members of local law enforcement for real learning, where each side can get to know one another. As federal and local support for community policing and prosecution waned, the crucial link between law enforcement and community has suffered. We hope this training can help officers begin to regain some lost trust and give community members a chance to see officers as people. The goal is to train 100 officers from a variety of departments and 100 community members with a focus on juveniles. The total cost of the project will not exceed $50,000. The goal of this project is to increase witness and victim participation in the criminal justice process. The failure of witnesses and victims to follow through by appearing for court and providing testimony is the single largest factor in creating case backlog. We have heard for years that this is a by-product of a lack of trust of citizens in the community. Increased reporting of crimes will also assist in moving new cases through the system faster as when police solve crimes quicker, they remain more viable for successful prosecution. This will also reduce retaliatory violence in our community which has been on the rise over the last few years. We have partnered in this project with ALPACT, the City of Flint, the Community Foundation of Flint and MSU.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
No HR resources will be expended.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Money is included in the Prosecutor’s High Crime Community Support Grant in account 2388-296.01-910.004.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
No county facilities will be used
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
No county technology resources will be required.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Expand the role of the county as a convener to enhance relationships that contribute to the growth of our community. Brings diverse people and groups to the table and embraces diversity, equity and inclusion. Promotes safe communities. Recognizes violence as a public health issue and the program promotes public health to create safer and healthier residents through violence reduction.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of County Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney to authorize entering into a contract between Genesee County and Peacekeepers Global Initiative, whereby the contractor will provide training sessions designed to help promote peace, love, and unity to 100 law enforcement officers and 100 community members focused on juveniles within the Genese County community, at a cost not to exceed $50,000.00 in training funds to be paid from account 2388-296.01-910.004, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the August 14, 2024 meeting of the Government Operations of this Board), and the Chairperson of this Board is authorized to execute the contract on behalf of Genesee County.