Reimagining Public Safety with the City of Asheville
Background
The Asheville City Council, at a September 22 Council Meeting, decided to reallocate approximately $800,000 from the Asheville Police Department budget to other areas of the City operation including hiring support for community engagement, and strengthening partnerships with mental health service providers in Buncombe County.
Challenges
Determining which communities were missing from the conversation. Gaining community trust to engage in an initiative centered on reimagining policing and community safety. Understanding marginalized communities and the needs they brought to the table required a culturally sensitive and inclusive approach.
What We Did
Civility Localized planned and facilitated six virtual community listening
sessions, one in-person listening session with the Asheville Police Department and one in-person listening session with the Asheville Community. The listening sessions centered on discussion questions co-created by the Consultant team and City of Asheville to determine “What Public Safety Means” to the community.
Media
