Coalition Partner Update # 7
Building Partnership & Coalition
SafeBR continues to grow! We are asking you to forward this update to 5 individuals or organizations and encourage them to join the movement to create the safest city in Louisiana. Every Baton Rouge citizen committed to this vision can join online at safebr.org/join.
SafeBR Community Safety Partner Meeting - Wednesday, June 21st at 4:00 PM at The Renaissance Hotel:
The second in-person SafeBR Partner meeting is officially scheduled for Wednesday, June 21st at 4:00 PM at The Renaissance Hotel (7000 Bluebonnet Blvd; Baton Rouge, LA 70810)
At the June gathering, SafeBR, local law enforcement leadership, and other leaders doing impactful work in this space will share real-time updates where we'll hear about efforts to deter violence in the short run and new initiatives related to violence issues we’re seeing in recent days. Additionally, SafeBR will demonstrate ways for Partners to further engage; begin to understand and support initiatives; understand and discuss alignment on crucial data; to name a few. While SafeBR is not responsible for public safety, we believe through your partnership, we will drive focused investment of time and resources into making our community safer.
City-Parish Announces 8-Week Summer of Hope Initiative:
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced the Summer of Hope initiative, an 8-week boots-on-the-ground activation led by Safe Hopeful Healthy Baton Rouge, a program dedicated to treating violence as a public health epidemic. The summer initiative includes programs, activities, and events that kicked off the first week of June. Watch Mayor Broome’s announcement here.
The Summer of Hope initiative will focus on violence reduction, amplify positive activities during the summer, and provide proactive mitigation and intervention in our most vulnerable neighborhoods. The goal is to engage Baton Rouge residents through various street engagements and programs, as well as celebrations and conversations through partnerships with community organizations. Importantly, it aims to provide summer job opportunities for youth, which is particularly important given the key ingredients to violence in our community are low opportunity neighborhoods and disengaged youth.
SHH approach to Building a community-led public safety ecosystem:
In September 2020,Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome established Safe Hopeful Healthy BR, within the Mayor’s Healthy City Initiative, to develop a collective vision and strategy to strengthen coordination, capacity, and partnerships to address the root causes of violence, and to advance policies and practices that are grounded in a culture of health.
By developing a public safety ecosystem, a diverse coalition of stakeholders, including survivors, advocates, and community partners work collaboratively to prevent all forms of violence and promote healing through four pillars.
Theory of change
15% Reduction in gun violence Year Over Year by utilizing a 3-pronged approach of law enforcement, community-based strategies, and mental health and human services.
SHHBR prioritizes building capacity for Community-Based strategies and proven methodologies that complement law enforcement.
To submit your summer events as a part of the Summer of Hope and the Safe Hopeful Healthy Initiative, please use the link below:
Fundraising & Support:
SafeBR is resourcing a 3-year funding strategy to leverage $65M toward the 3 Pillars of focus (~$50M in public funding and $15M in private investment). To date, we have identified over $7.5M for SafeBR and urge supporters to visit safebr.org/support to contribute.
Core Pillar Updates
SafeBR will spark immediate action while building long-term solutions to support community safety, focusing on solutions that drive the three pillars of SafeBR:
Pillar 1.
New resources for law enforcement to enhance new and existing strategies proven effective in stopping violent crime as well as individual assistance for first responders injured in the line of duty.
Pillar 2.
Community investment in evidence-based strategies to disrupt the cycle of crime and violence.
Pillar 3.
Accountability and transparency for the entire system of justice and our collective investments
Legislative Agenda Update (Pillar 3)
HB214 (Rep. Lafleur) adds two commissioners to the 19th JDC, the central aspect of the anticipated creation of a pretrial services unit within the court. The commissioners will assume all the duties of criminal judges during their duty week. This includes but is not limited to presiding over Call Out (First Appearance) hearings, setting bail, and presiding over arraignment hearings (when the DA makes a billing decision). Two anticipated benefits from this will be (1) consistency in bond hearings and (2) giving the judges more time to schedule trials to reduce case backlog.
The Commissioners will be the hub of a new pretrial services unit, potentially reducing jail overcrowding, reducing costs, speeding up the processing of criminal cases, and creating a continuum of care to prevent future offenses and recidivism.
BRAC Ankle Monitoring Bill Update (Pillar 1)
HB556 (Rep. Davis) creates statewide operating standards, licensing, and oversight requirements for Offender Tracking Systems (OTS), electronic monitoring devices that track accused offenders typically employed as a condition of bail. Recent incidents and media reports have highlighted the inconsistent standards and lack of oversight of companies that administer OTS devices. On multiple occasions, accused offenders who were free on bond evaded tracking and committed violent crimes.
The goal of this legislation is to reduce instances of repeat offenses by accused offenders who are out on bond. The legislation would impose stricter accountability upon companies that monitor accused offenders, requiring these companies to register with the Department of Public Safety and Corrections to be licensed to operate in Louisiana, obligating them to abide by uniform guidelines.