If you value public safety, care about policing, and want to participate in a sustainable, equity-driven movement for change, there’s a program for you coming up on Mar. 1.
Law enforcement executives, educators, business leaders, policymakers, and students will kick off a series of programs about public safety and policing with a symposium at Kean University (Union, N.J.) on Saturday, Mar. 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., as part of a series on such topics. Lamont O. Repollet, Ed.D., a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., is the 18th university president.
A representative of the N.J. Office of the Attorney General will present opening remarks. Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will present a keynote address. Other speakers include New Jersey Assemblywoman Shavonda E. Sumter, City of Paterson, N.J., chair of the NJ Legislative Black Caucus; Adrian O. Mapp, mayor of the City of Plainfield, president and chair of the New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, and a member of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.; Cumberland County Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae, of Vineland, NJ, who is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.; and Rev. Dr. Charles Boyer, pastor of Greater Mount Zion A.M.E. Church of Trenton, who co-founded Salvation and Social Justice with his wife, First Lady Rosalee Boyer.
Also on the program are Jerome Hatfield, senior vice president of Integrated Health, Safety, and Response Services at Kean University. Joseph Youngblood, II, Ph.D., a senior vice president of Transformational Learning and External Affairs at Kean University and a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., will be moderator of the event.
The New Jersey Chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE NJ), Positive Community, New Jersey Urban Mayors Association, and John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University are presenting this event, which is free and open to the public.
“Collectively, as host organizations, we are planning this event because we believe in taking action. Action speaks,” said Barbara George Johnson, M.P.H., J.D., vice president of external affairs and urban policy and research at Kean University and a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. “This is a solutions-orientated series that will bring together thought leaders, policymakers, community advocates, and scholars. Together, we will explore and advance innovative strategies that address critical issues in policing and public safety. Participants attending these interactive sessions will identify actionable solutions to foster sustainable, community-centered, and equity-driven approaches to public safety.”
Although the event title is “Let’s Talk About Public Safety and Policing,” participants can expect to do more than talk. Breakout session discussions will explore real-life experiences, solutions, best practices, and innovative ideas. Results and outcomes from each event in the series will be reviewed, analyzed, and translated into community action plans by public policy experts at the John S. Watson Institute for Urban Policy and Research at Kean University.
The institute is a nonpartisan resource for decision-makers in New Jersey. Its motto is “Linking People to Policy,” which it does through supporting the development and implementation of solutions to many societal issues. Legislators and policymakers look to the institute for insights and data for navigating a variety of complex societal issues.
Some of the topics the series will cover are:
• Strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve;
• Policy and oversight reforms for public safety agencies;
• Social determinants of health and community well-being;
• The role of technology and social media in shaping public perceptions of policing and safety; and
• Urban violence prevention strategies and equity-centered solutions.
According to Jiles H. Ship, chapter president of NOBLE New Jersey, a commissioner of the New Jersey Police Training Commission, and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., the second session in the series will take place on Apr. 15 in Atlantic City. Ship believes in addressing policy change and advocating for community-driven solutions to public safety and policing issues.
Register for the first session at https://bit.ly/PublicSafetySeriesRegistrationForm. For more information, send an email to watson@kean.edu.
The Divine Nine News column highlights the service and achievements of members from the National Pan-Hellenic Council’s fraternities and sororities. Ideas for coverage of community-service initiatives, personal accomplishments, and upcoming events may be sent to: https://amsterdamnews.com/d9news and d9@amsterdamnews.com.