Improving Safety in Immigrant Communities. Experts Online Webcast May 23, 2007

Transcription

1 Improving Safety in Immigrant Communities Experts Online Webcast May 23, 2007

2 LISC Community Safety Initiative Objective: To promote strategic alliances between community developers and law enforcement to reduce crime and spur revitalization in troubled neighborhoods. Services: Technical assistance/training Knowledge-sharing Financial assistance National advocacy

3 Agenda Challenges to community safety programs in immigrant communities Strategies to address challenges of: - Fear and distrust - Linguistic and cultural barriers - Other organizing challenges Policy and long-term crime prevention goals

4 Today s Speakers Virgil Domaoan, Downtown Neighborhood District Manager White Center Community Development Association Sharon Lubinski, Assistant Chief of Police Minneapolis Police Department Colleen Daley Ndoye, Barton Street Neighborhood Revitalization Coordinator Pawtucket Citizens Development Corporation

5 POLL 1 Who is in our audience? -Community development corporation -Resident -Immigrant/refugee service organization -Government agency -Police officer or other law enforcement -Funder or intermediary staff -Other

6 Snapshots of Speakers Communities Seattle s Chinatown International District and White Center, Washington Diverse Asian immigrant population in the Chinatown International District, including many seniors More than 60 languages spoken in White Center area of King County White Center is home to a large Asian population, many Latinos from Mexico and Central America, East Africans from Somalia, Ethiopia and Eritrea, and Eastern Europeans from Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Ukraine

7 Snapshots of Speakers Communities Minneapolis, Minnesota Diverse Latino population Large Somali, Hmong refugee communities Smaller Tibetan, Russian population

8 Snapshots of Speakers Communities Pawtucket & Central Falls, Rhode Island Large, diverse Latino population with significant Colombian community Significant Cape Verdean population (West African, Portuguese-Creole speaking) Small population of other African immigrants

9 POLL 2 Which is your biggest challenge in promoting safety and community-police partnerships? -Low crime reporting -Distrust of police -Linguistic barriers -Cultural differences -Difficulties in organizing diverse communities

10 Understanding your local challenge Fear of INS or perceived risk of deportation Distrust of police based on prior law enforcement experiences Distrust and Fear Linguistic and Cultural Barriers Communication barriers limit positive communitypolice interactions Cultural differences lead to misunderstandings Community Organizing Challenges Difficulties in organizing diverse communities around a collective safety agenda

11 POLL 3 Do police in your jurisdiction have a defined policy with regard to when officers can/should ask witnesses or suspects about their immigration status? -Yes -No -Don t know

12 Addressing fear and distrust Should police enforce immigration laws? Key issues: Impact on crime reporting Competing demands on scarce law enforcement resources Recommendations for community practitioners: Know your local department s policy Educate the community about police powers and practices Discuss costs and benefits with decision-makers Build relationships

13 Addressing fear and distrust Other issues for law enforcement Building police departments that mirror the diverse communities they serve Partnerships with community-based organizations Importance of the support of police department leadership Publications and resources available from the Vera Institute of Justice

14 Addressing fear and distrust Franklin Avenue Community Safety Center

15 Addressing fear and distrust Roles for community organizations Buffers between residents and police Vouch for police partners Introduce community leaders and police officers Educators about crime reporting Facilitate dialogues and training about crime reporting and prevention

16 Addressing fear and distrust Roles for community organizations Coordinators of community safety efforts Role of a Safety Coordinator Getting in each other s business

17 POLL 3 About how many languages are spoken in your community? -Less than 3 -Between 4 and 10 -More than 10 -More than 20

18 Addressing linguistic and cultural barriers Police department policy and practice Language assistance services and bilingual officers Culturally sensitive approaches to victims Patrol strategies and other deployment decisions The Starbucks patrol model in Minneapolis?

19 Addressing linguistic and cultural barriers Before redevelopment After

20 Addressing linguistic and cultural barriers Publications and resources: Offers planning tools for law enforcement and community organizations regarding service to limited English speakers Offers case studies and guides for successful police problem-solving efforts in immigrant communities

21 Addressing linguistic and cultural barriers Roles for community organizations Community meetings with translation services Bilingual community organizers or safety coordinators Volunteer police interpreters

22 Safety Workshop Tips Example from Seattle s Chinatown International District: Integrated safety curriculum into an existing ESL program Topics included how to call 911, what to say when reporting crime Introductions to community officers and a tour of the precinct emergency center demystified police and the crime reporting process

23 Achieving long-term crime prevention goals Overcoming perceptions about crime in immigrant communities Partnerships between police and community developers for broad-based community revitalization strategies Using unusual alliances as an advocacy tool

24 Further information about the LISC Community Safety Initiative is available at Thank You to Our Sponsors: US Department of Justice Community Capacity Development Office