Police Reform: A Two-Part Series (Virtual)

CUNY Graduate Center, October 13 & 20, 2021: Police Reform: A Two-Part Series (Virtual)

“Police reform is one of the most important and pressing issues confronting NYC and communities across America. In a follow-up to the successful public event ‘Re-imagining Policing’ in spring 2021, we present two conversations this fall, delving more deeply into the topic.”

Register here.

Police Reform, Part 1: What is Community Safety?
Wednesday, October 13, 7:30pm EDT

In the dialogue around police reform, the topic of community or public safety is often at the center of the conversation. What does it mean to have a safe society? Have we over-invested in the notion of enforcement? What other factors contribute to community safety, such as education, housing, employment, and healthcare? Featuring: Jennifer Jones Austin, CEO and executive director of the Federation of Protestant Welfare Agencies; Rodney Harrison, chief of department for the NYPD; Maureen McGough, chief of staff for the Policing Project at NYU School of Law; and Ashwin Vasan, M.D., president and CEO of Fountain House.

Police Reform, Part 2: How to Invest in Communities to Improve Safety
Wednesday, October 20, 7:30pm EDT

While the slogans "Defund the Police" or "Disinvest and Reinvest" have received national attention, what would it really look like to move dollars from the police and reinvest in community resources? What would we invest in and why? What is the road map for getting there, and what is possible in the current political climate? Featuring: Ana M. Bermúdez, commissioner of the NYC Department of Probation; Elizabeth Glazer, former director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice; David Kennedy, professor of criminal justice at John Jay College and executive director of the National Network for Safe Communities; and Rev. Rubén Austria, executive director of Community Connections for Youth.