Criminal justice professionals engaged in today’s national debate about criminal justice reform can learn from past efforts at collaboration. In 2019, Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and New York City Police Commissioner James O’Neill saw a need for prosecutors and police chiefs to have candid conversations and really listen to each other when making policy decisions. With this idea in mind, on June 24, 2019, the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) organized a meeting with a group of police chiefs and prosecutors from several cities to discuss issues related to criminal justice reform. Though they came from different backgrounds, these individuals were united under the common goal of public safety. Many insights came from the meeting, including a “‘Statement of Key Principles’ that can serve as a foundation for future dialogue.” PERF published the report “Police Chiefs and Prosecutors Work Through Challenges To Find Common Ground” to outline the outcomes of the meeting.
To learn more, read the report.