Community Safety Department Durham engagement summary July 2021 – January 2022
WHAT’S IN THIS DOCUMENT? 1. Background 2. What we’ve been doing 3. Who we’ve been talking to 4. What we’ve been hearing 5. Community design principles 6. How you can stay involved
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BACKGROUND Since its inception in July 2021, the City of Durham’s Community Safety Department (CSD) has been coordinating with many community stakeholders to learn and build a department that reflects the true needs and desires of our community. By speaking with residents, partnering with the Community Safety and Wellness Task Force, and other Durham public safety departments and local service providers, we have made it our priority to build this work in a way that incorporates the input of those who will be impacted most and who will be needed to make successful, long-term change in Durham.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DOING
WHO WE’VE BEEN TALKING TO
As of January 2022, we have sat down with over 250 Durham community members to hear their thoughts about community safety.
_Durham residents with an added focus on individuals who have been directly impacted by crisis
_Resident listening sessions hosted with Monument of Faith, El Centro Hispano, and Campus Hills Rec Center
We have been holding ongoing (English and Spanish, in-person and remote) listening sessions, focus groups and workshops with Durham residents, first responders, mental health professionals and other health care providers, peer support specialists, local nonprofits and community organizations;
_Durham first responders Fire, EMS, Police, Emergency Communications
_Housing for New Hope _Alliance Behavioral Health _Recovery Innovations _Durham Center for Senior Life
We have co-hosted a two day bilingual public town hall on Zoom with the “Skilled Crisis Care Responders Round Table” of Durham’s Community Safety & Wellness Task Force;
_Urban Ministries Durham _Durham Rescue Mission _Straight Talk Support Group
We have attended several ride-alongs with Durham police;
_Durham Regional Association of Realtors
We have a running survey on our website for Durham residents to continually weigh in on questions we’re pursuing in our work.
_Downtown Durham, Inc.
_LGBTQ Center
Connecting with Durham community members remains central to our work.
What tools help us collaborate? Zoom / Mentimeter / Google Jamboard Survey Monkey / markers & post-its!
Flip to the end of this document to find out how to get involved. 2
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING Moments of being in crisis and experiences with first responders Many people have shared about their previous interactions with first responders, often during stress-filled moments of crisis. These experiences can shape how people feel about first responders and influence what kinds of responses they would like to see in Durham. “My family has called first responders, for mental health crises, primarily. In at least two of those incidents, there were some outwardly named assumptions about relatives being on drugs or violent because of being Black.”
“The Crisis Intervention Team are trained to deal with mental health. I’ve interacted with them. They treat you like a human being. [All responders] need to know they’re not just dealing with something, it’s someBODY.” —Durham resident
—Durham resident “EMS has been incredible. However, DPD has always sent an armed officer to assist with my elementary school child’s behavioral health crises, and as she has gotten older, I have been less and less willing to call, leaving us to navigate these acute crises alone.” —Durham resident
Before
“I would like a significant percentage of calls to be addressed by unarmed people (when appropriate). I would like dispatchers to be qualified enough to know when nonpolice response is appropriate.” —Durham resident
Moment of crisis
After
When talking about situations where they have reached out during a crisis, people have shared that, often, needs for intervention extend far beyond the one event when a first responder typically engages a resident. “If you just let them go, they will keep spinning... Sometimes they just need help with that first step.”
“A lot of times, there’s something leading up to [the crisis]. What could have been done to prevent getting to this point?” —Durham resident
—Durham resident
“Families need help too, so they can learn how to deal with this crisis next time ... If you follow up with families, you can learn about the social and family history, so you can better support the person in crisis...” —Durham resident 3
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING We asked: Who would you want to show up in a crisis? We have walked through diverse kinds of scenarios (many of which were situations that have recently occurred in Durham) to better understand how people would want a response for certain specific situations. Commonly, people preferred staff and skill sets that did not include law enforcement or ambulances, unless there was a serious threat of violence or health issues. “They’d come to check on you, see what’s going on, see if you’re on medication, good with housing... The Whole 9. Instead of being one person, it would be a team of people, who would all have that kind of training.”
“You need to send someone with training in mental health situations. Call backup if it’s needed. Police clothes can make people not want to cooperate. It’s a trust barrier that has been broken for some.”
—Durham resident
—Durham resident
“I love peer support, community health workers – someone who can relate to being homeless, know how to treat them, how to ask questions. Even train a family member, if there’s a relationship. Sometimes, people just need some time to get themselves together, a place to get their head together.” —Durham resident
Results from a resident workshop survey. View more scenario survey results on our website: Durhamnc.gov/4629/Community-Safety-related-engagements 4
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING We asked: What would you like to see in a new kind of crisis response team? Staff qualities & skill sets People want crisis responders who: •
Are trauma-informed, non-judgmental, and listen first
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Are trained in de-escalation and mental health first aid
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Have some shared life experiences including experiences with crisis that people are facing
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Know their neighborhoods and have a broad knowledge of community-level resources
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Are anti-racist and affirming of LGBTQ+
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Welcoming, respectful, culturally competent, and honoring of the dignity of each person
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Know community members’ language/s or have immediate access to interpreter services (including ASL)
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Will help advocate for those in need
Team appearance While there have been some disagreement on appearance, this is where we’ve heard the strongest commonalities: •
Include people who look like them (the residents being served)
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Are recognizable as official staff, without resembling existing first responders (e.g. police officers)
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Person-first appearance: Look approachable, and not loaded up with visible equipment (e.g. radios, clipboards)
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Vehicle may be distinguishable without overtly attracting attention (no sirens or obvious branding)
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The ability to connect with a close relative or friend, when possible
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Training available for family members to better assist them with potential crises in the future.
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The same team member take care of the case, so as not to be forgotten
Materials & resources People want responders to have: •
First aid kit
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Blankets & clothing (e.g. socks)
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Water bottles & food items
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Relevant resources that are easily accessible by the person or family 5
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING We asked: What would you like to see in a new kind of crisis response team? (continued) “Who would I want? That person just walked through the door. He’s in charge of this [transitional] house. He’s responsible for this place, for communicating, dealing with people. His conversation is up to par. He’s not arrogant, he knows what he’s talking about... just a good person.”
“Maybe someone like a teacher, because there’s a troubled kid. Sometimes that skill set is overlooked... They know how to break things down in different ways for people, they can break it down differently so that people can receive it.” —Durham resident
—Durham resident
Group worksheets from resident workshops at El Centro Hispano and IR Holmes Rec Center ^
1. Follow up with people after a crisis.
Residents have asked for a commitment to:
2. Transparency, including what training responders receive, what calls they are responding to, and what outcomes result.
3. Being responsive to community feedback and input. 6
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING Conversations with Community Partners As we continue to prioritize involving Durham residents in this work, we have also been working closely with service providers and professionals in the community, including staff from Durham’s public safety departments. “In this community-living setting, we see housing and food insecurity, mental health issues come up a lot; we need the de-escalation piece. When I hear about [an unarmed team of first responders] my wheels are turning with possibilities.”
“Someone with trauma-informed training… my thoughts 6 years ago are totally different now about what the experience and reality is… when I think about trauma and how it impacts behavior, I know that’s important.” —Durham Peer Support Specialist
— Durham transitional housing staff
“[This new team] could take the time to listen. With an incident recently, they needed some assistance, and during the conversation the radio kept going off, and it agitated the person… that itself escalated the situation. [This new team] would have time to listen and sometimes that’s all it is, they want to be heard. They’ll catch us trying to wrap it up, because we have other things to do.” —Durham shelter staff “There was a crisis that was happening at one of the houses during a visit; there was a suicide threat. We were doing rounds to help with vaccinations and things. They said they didn’t want to live anymore. They called me, and I didn’t know what to do… I was freaking out. This is an extreme example, but these are the kinds of things that can happen.” —Durham Community Health Worker
“There needs to be a holistic approach, starting with the appropriate triage of the call, so that it can be matched to the appropriate responding resource.”
“I feel like our mental health call volume has increased… We’re getting a lot more crisis calls – we’ve got crisis calls backing up.” —Durham Police officer
—Durham Firefighter
“Police & Fire are the default for when things have gotten really bad, but are typically poor instruments for dealing with chronic issues like mental health and addiction.” —Durham Police officer
“Ensuring people are connected to someone who can help is so important. That is what can set this apart and make a real difference.” –Durham behavioral health provider 7
WHAT WE’VE BEEN HEARING We asked: What kind of impact would you need to see to feel that an alternative response pilot is working in Durham? “(Low) percentage of instances in which the first responders couldn’t resolve the ‘conflict’ and the police needed to be called, and the percentage in which the first responders were hurt” “More people accessing city/county resources (e.g. rent support, mental health programs, etc.)”
“Rate of police contact with people with mental illness going down”
“Incidents that these teams were called to, and numbers of times that they resolved a situation without police”
“The rates of police complaints going down”
“Hopefully numbers of arrests will decline... less people charged with crimes”
“More situations ending peacefully”
“Public opinion - with an emphasis on communities that have traditionally been disproportionately on the punitive side of law enforcement”
“(Less) ‘over-response’ with multiple first responder vehicles”
“Positive feedback from the people being helped”
“Improved trust in city services by citizens”
These are some of the results Durham residents are sharing... Tell us: What kinds of impact would you like to see? (see last page)
“Increased morale of police”
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DESIGN PRINCIPLES FOR A NEW CRISIS RESPONSE We asked: What will it take to make you feel confident to reach out to crisis responders in a moment of crisis? “One reason people are afraid of police, besides documentation, is language barriers. They’ll ask for personal information and many are afraid they’ll be investigated and get benefits removed.”
“[I want] somebody to come diffuse the situation. They would show love, compassion, understanding, patience… to be there physically, to sit down and talk with you.” – Durham resident experiencing mental health challenges
– Durham resident from an immigrant community
Harm Reducing
Accessible & Inclusive Approaches that are welcoming, respectful, and culturally competent.
Approaches that honor the dignity of every person encountered.
Residents emphasize the need to account for diverse backgrounds, language barriers, and multiple ways for people to access services.
Residents underscore centering people’s needs, committing to nonviolent resolution, and respecting individual needs and choices about their health.
“[I want] someone who can relate to being homeless, know how to treat them, how to ask questions. They’d come to check on you, see what’s going on, see if you’re on medication, good with housing… the whole nine.”
“I want to know that unarmed responders will not be accompanied by an armed officer and for there to be clear understanding in the community when a transition to an armed response is going to happen.”
– Durham resident with housing insecurity experience
– Durham resident
Familiar & Empathic
Reliable & Predictable
Approaches that provide compassionate understanding and opportunities for frequent interaction with community members. Residents reiterate the significance of sharing lived experiences in the building of trust.
Approaches that embed transparency, follow-through, and follow-up. Residents highlight the need for consistency: when will services be offered, who will show up, and how will information be shared? 9
Connecting with you means everything to us We at the Community Safety Department appreciate all the community members who have shared their time, stories, thoughts, feedback, and ideas. As this department grows, we are committed to building and strengthening these relationships in order to make this work and its impact as collaborative and community-centered as possible.
HOW CAN YOU STAY INVOLVED? 1. Visit the Community Safety website: DurhamNC.gov/4576 •
Get updates on what the department is working on and learning, and events we’re holding.
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Share your thoughts and feedback in our survey. (We update questions)
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Look out for opportunities to join our team! (Stay tuned for several upcoming part-time paid community-centered fellowships)
2. Host an event in your neighborhood •
Email us to talk more: shannon.delaney@durhamnc.gov
3. Let us know how you would like to be involved •
Have ideas that aren’t listed here? Reach out.
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