One Brooklyn
November 5, 2019
Brooklyn, NY – Today, Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams was joined by educators, advocates, and students to unveil a major new initiative that will provide youth peer-to-peer training on how to interact with law enforcement. The first-of-its-kind pilot program, funded by a $5,000 seed grant from Borough President Adams, will train homeless public school students to lead interactive workshops for their peers, teaching them what to do in various scenarios when stopped by police.
As part of a full-scale approach to addressing the rising tensions between police and youth, Borough President Adams announced his call on the New York City Police Department (NYPD) to enhance and prioritize their instruction on de-escalation tactics during their annual in-service trainings. A 2015 New York City Department of Investigation (DOI) report found there was “little to no substantive focus on de-escalation in NYPD’s training programs,” which some observers say makes violent police encounters more likely.
The announcement comes on the heels of recent incidents that have stoked tensions between police and youth in some communities. Last weekend, video footage of a fight erupting between NYPD officers and teenagers in downtown Brooklyn’s Jay Street-Metrotech station went viral, drawing broad condemnation from the public and elected leaders. Following the release of the video, Borough President Adams called for one of the officers involved, who was shown in the video punching three separate people, to be placed on modified assignment pending further investigation. On Friday, November 1st, several protesters at a demonstration against the NYPD’s subway fare evasion crackdown spit on cops, vandalized vehicles, and chanted profanities at police.
“When it comes to improving relations between police and communities, few groups have as much at stake as young people, and particularly young people of color,” said Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams. “They think they know their rights, but often they don’t, and the consequences of their not knowing can be dire. This new pilot program we are announcing will empower young people to speak to each other in a language they understand about appropriate interactions with law enforcement. Fostering mutual trust between police and youth is a two-way street, and the events of the past two weeks make clear that we have a lot of work to do.”
“Peer-to-peer training programs like this that center our young people as both teachers and learners can be incredibly effective tools to empower our students,” said Schools Chancellor Richard A. Carranza. “I applaud Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams for his leadership in announcing today’s pilot, and look forward to partnering with him in this important work.”
” CCM was created 36 years ago to provide clinical services to youth at risk of violent situations. Our method then of intervention was mediation workshops in the school, to prepare youth to manage stressful situations effectively. This need still exist,” said Community Counseling and Mediation President and CEO Emory X. Brooks.
“I am proud to stand with Brooklyn Borough President Adams, youth leaders and our partners in government to support efforts to reduce tension, amplify civil rights and create more understanding between our young people and law enforcement,” says Assembly Member Tremaine S. Wright. “One of the most effective methods for addressing this challenge is educating all parties. The Youth Grant Initiative is one step in the right direction and I am excited to see and learn from the masterful ways our young people will engage.”
Photo Credit: Evan Burr/Brooklyn BP’s Office
The pilot program, which is set to begin in the coming days, will be administered by Community Counseling & Mediation (CCM), a Brooklyn-based non-profit organization that provides a wide array of services to local at-risk youth and others experiencing mental health or substance abuse issues, which will complement Borough President Adams’ $5,000 investment with a $20,000 investment of their own. It will be modeled in part after similar successful youth engagement programs such as the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) and Successful Tips for Youth on Law Enforcement Encounters (S.T.Y.L.E.). Conducted in partnership with the NYPD and DOE, the program will initially serve students in Brooklyn schools, with the goal of expanding the program to serve all middle and high school students beginning in January 2020.
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