The Vallejo Police Department is happy to announce that we are partnering with the Vallejo City Unified School District, the Denver Police Department, and Council Member Hakeem Brown to find proactive ways to improve relationships between our youth and police in Vallejo. The recurring youth outreach program is rooted in Denver Police Department's successful youth program which the Vallejo Police Department aims to replicate.
The Vallejo Youth Outreach Program will highlight the following:
- Youth and police engagement.
- A sustainable model rooted in community partnerships that employ a "train the trainer approach."
The program will feature recurring youth and officer forums that aim to educate youth on their rights and responsibilities when in contact with officers. Key aspects of adolescent development, implicit bias, and de-escalation techniques will also be discussed. Participants will explore the function of trauma in their lives and learn tools to more effectively manage that trauma. Facilitators also intend to provide participants with a space to gain empathy and self-awareness through the context of youth and officer experiences. The goal is to improve outcomes by equipping participants with tools to ensure future encounters result in less trauma, less distrust, and less escalation towards violence.
Using an evidence-based curriculum obtained from the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee, police officers receive a full day of training on adolescent development and de-escalation techniques. The curriculum focuses on how adolescents think, the lens through which they may see the world, and how that may shape the way they act when approached by the police. The Denver Police Department will provide a 3-day' train-the-trainer' for Vallejo Police Officer trainers to ensure successful ongoing training.
Key Goals:
● To reduce fear and trauma
● To cultivate empathy, understanding, and trust
● To improve resiliency to trauma
● To improve decision making
● To repair relationships
● To support mutual recognition and reconciliation
● To reduce obstacles to communication between youth and police officers
Key Outcomes:
● Increased trust
● Increased resiliency to trauma
● Increased understanding of rights and youth development
● Improved decision-making skills
● Shared guidelines that youth and officers can use to de-escalate future encounters
The community meeting will take place on Friday, March 20th, at the Vallejo Room, Vallejo Library - times 5:30 PM to 07:00 PM. The police and youth forum will take place on Tuesday, March 24th from 09:00 AM to 02:00 PM at a location yet to be determined. All interested community members are encouraged to attend the community meeting at the Vallejo Library.
