This fall, Equal Justice USA is continuing to lead an effort to facilitate healing and build trust between the community and police with a goal of better responses to trauma in the wake of violence. A team of facilitators will be leading trainings on trauma-informed responses to violence with the Newark Police Department and Newark community members: “From Trauma to Trust: Police and Community Collaborative Training”
The training has several goals:
- To understand the symptoms of community, historical, and vicarious trauma
- To understand how modern policing furthers trauma and violence
- To build the necessary skills to address trauma and problem-solve when it arises
- To establish new approaches to community-driven public safety.
We believe that by creating empathy and a shared understanding of present-day and historical trauma, communities can build a shared vision with law enforcement for safety that centers racial equity and violence prevention.These trainings will focus on the development and maintenance of trust between police and community members/partnerships. Trainings specifics are as follows:
Scheduling:
- GROUP V: Monday, September 16, and Monday, September 23, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Broadway House (298 Broadway, Newark, NJ)
- GROUP W: Friday, September 20, and Friday, September 27, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Broadway House (298 Broadway, Newark, NJ)
- GROUP X: Wednesday, October 16, and Wednesday, October 23, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Broadway House (298 Broadway, Newark, NJ)
- GROUP Y: Thursday, October 17, and Thursday, October 24, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Location to be determined)
- GROUP Z: Wednesday, November 13, and Wednesday, November 20, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Location to be determined)
- GROUP AA: Monday, November 18, and Monday, November 25, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Location to be determined)
Additional Details
- Participants will include 15 police officers and 15-20 community members
- Training will include opportunities to learn about trauma symptoms, ACES (the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study), historical trauma, and the cycle of violence
- Hands-on skills-building and problem-solving activities will be customized for trainees on the front lines addressing violence and trauma
- Attention will be given to special populations, including boys and men of color, LGBTQ+ communities, girls and women, and more.
Community leaders from all sectors are invited to participate in these trainings.
If you have any questions, please contact Lionel Latouche at LIONELL@ejusa.org.
