Analysis
Every family deserves to live in a safe and healthy neighborhood. Unfortunately, many families live, work, play, and pray in neighborhoods plagued with drugs, prostitution, violence, crime, gangs, and other problems. Many of Faith In Action's leaders work in these neighborhoods and often hear the concerns of community residents. These concerns are often backed up by law enforcement's empirical data.
Faith In Action's Response
Faith In Action knows that crime and violence is a result of underlying, systemic problems in the community. At the same time, we are very close to the pain and sense of fear families feel every day as a result of neighborhood violence. Therefore, Faith In Action's approach includes a balance of enforcement and prevention efforts.
Faith In Action's Accomplishments
- The East Bakersfield Faith Community Alliance, an alliance of local east Bakersfield churches, success with winning a commitment from the Kern County Sheriff to fully staff the east Bakersfield Sheriff Substation. After a February action with over 650 east Bakersfield residents, the Kern County Sheriff’s Department drafted a plan to implement a proactive community policing program in targeted neighborhood of concern lifted up at the community meeting. In addition, the Sheriff’s Department requested additional county agencies- including Child Protective Services, Probation Department, Code Enforcement, and Victim Witness Department-to provide staff at the substation.
- The East Bakersfield Faith Community Alliance won a commitment from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department to assign bilingual deputies in neighborhoods throughout east Bakersfield, a heavily monolingual Spanish-speaking community.
- St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Parish LOM won a commitment from the Bakersfield Police Department to monitor and arrest drug dealers from a nearby apartment complex.
Compassion
Christian Action Meeting, 19 March 2009
Over
100 community members came together for Faith In Action Kern County’s
Action Meeting hosted by the ministry of Compassion Christian Center
on Thursday, March 19, 2009 at 7:00 PM. The meeting, called out
of concern with the crime and violence plaguing the community,
represented a first step in strengthening the relationship between
the community and the Bakersfield Police Department. Police
Chief Bill Rector, Assistant Chief L.D. Martin and a half dozen other
representatives of the Department heard frank, open and respectful
testimony from Faith In Action grassroots leaders regarding concerns
that inhibit communication between the parties, and undermine citizen
safety and security and effective policing in Bakersfield
neighborhoods. Chief Rector and Assistant Chief Martin offered
specific responses to the issues raised in a way that encouraged hope
for future conversations.
Meeting
Outcomes:
As a result
of the action meeting, Faith In Action gained support from the
Bakersfield Police Department to:
- Work to promote an atmosphere of respect, trust and mutual accountability in all encounters between police officers and Bakersfield residents
- Provide residents with the results of the intensive Department of Justice investigation of the Bakersfield Police Department which already has led to improvements in professional policing
- Promote the existing ride-along program so that officers have more work interaction with residents without the stress of confrontation and enable residents to develop a more realistic appreciation of the typical challenges of daily policing activities
- Explore additional opportunities for citizens to learn more about police procedures and activities through regular forums or local “citizen academy”
- Apply for appropriate federal grants designed to promote community-oriented policing practices in local law enforcement.
- Meet again in three months with Faith In Action grassroots leaders in a community forum to encourage fostering a climate of respect, trust and mutual accountability.