City Attorney Mike Feuer announced Tuesday that the Community Police Unification Program, which allows residents to resolve complaints against an officer through mediation and a face-to-face meeting, was singled out for honors by the National Criminal Justice Association.
What began as a pilot project of Feuer’s Community Justice Initiative in collaboration with the Los Angeles Police Department is now a permanent program with the goal of improving relationships between the LAPD and the community.
Feuer’s office said 86 percent of the hundreds of residents who have gone through the program would recommend it to others.
“It can make a big difference to have a face-to-face conversation, in a neutral setting, with an officer with whom you’ve had a negative experience. Especially now, we need to foster positive interactions between community members and law enforcement,” Feuer said.
“I thank the National Criminal Justice Association for recognizing the value of this restorative justice work,” he said. “And I’m especially grateful the association has recognized our partners at LAPD, our volunteer mediators and our own Shaphan Roberts, who manages this program as director of our office’s Dispute Resolution Program.”
The 2017 Outstanding Criminal Justice Program Award for the West Region was presented as part of NCJA’s National Forum on Criminal Justice, which was held in Long Beach from July 20 to Aug. 2.
“The ability to stand in another person’s shoes and view the world from their perspective is incredibly valuable, and that’s exactly what the Community Police Unification Program provides,” LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said. “The LAPD is committed to building, strengthening and maintaining relationships with our residents, and this opportunity to better understand and assess any negative contacts makes that pledge a reality.”
–City News Service