The Center for Policing Equity (CPE) announces the publication of a new community resource guide under the Community Up program titled Do We Need Police in Schools? The resource guide provides a brief overview of the complicated impact of using police officers in schools and detailed guidance on how school safety approaches should be examined to ensure true safety for all students. Additional information for a thorough examination of school safety policies can be found in CPE’s published resources.
“School safety approaches are a sensitive topic as the protection of our children is of utmost importance,” said Brittenay Causieestko-Lee, CPE Director of Community Engagement. “Therefore, our focus should always be on the well-being of all students. Employing a police response as the default method for ensuring safety fails to consider the negative impacts that come with a one-size-fits-all approach. A holistic and nurturing approach to discipline can create a more positive learning environment for everyone involved."
Launched in June 2023, Community Up is an information-oriented program for community stakeholders who seek to take actionable steps toward change. Community Up offerings aim to engage in proactive knowledge sharing, peer-to-peer support network development, and platform sharing related to harm reduction and public safety redesign.
The first Community Up resource shared was the Mental Health Alternative First Response Community Roadmap—an interactive community roadmap that defines alternative first response programs, provides existing examples, shares insights on how to fund these programs, and outlines how to communicate to various stakeholders—community leaders, elected officials, and law enforcement—about the need for and implementation of these alternative first response programs.
Learn more about Community Up and other Community Engagement initiatives on CPE’s website.