September 2020 Newsletter

Louisville, Muhammad Ali Center

September 2020 Newsletter

The Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods is excited to announce several new team members, including our new director, Monique Williams.  Monique has extensive experience as a public health community-based researcher and practitioner. She has spent the last six years of her career at the University of Louisville School of Public Health and Information Sciences, where she was recruited to assist with growing the community-engaged research arm of the school and to lead its Youth Violence Prevention Research Center (YVPRC). Williams, a 2020 doctoral candidate, will be instrumental in OSHN's vision for a safer Louisville where citizens are supported, free of violence and prepared for lifelong success.  For more info, or to learn about some of our other recently filled positions, visit our staff page here.


Upcoming Events


Networking Night Sep 29

Networking Night: Understanding Race-Based Trauma with Dr. Steven Kniffley

The Mayor's Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods (OSHN) is pleased to announce the return of the One Love Louisville Networking Nights! This is an opportunity for citizens to learn more about Violence Prevention efforts and resources in our community. Our Networking Nights create an environment for change agents to build a network of citizens interested in reducing violence. It also provides space for the continued development of violence prevention strategies and resources with our partners across the city.

During this September 29 Networking Night, you will hear from Dr. Steven Kniffley, Associate Director of the Collective Care Center at Spalding University. Dr. Kniffley will share about Race-Based Trauma and the mental health resources available in our community.

Register for September's Networking Night Here


Ambassador Institute #19

One Love Louisville Virtual Ambassador Institute

Turn your passion into action and learn the tools needed to make a difference in your community! Our next Ambassador Institute will be October 24. To adapt to the virtual platform, we have shortened the institute.

Training will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Participants will be trained in Mental Health 101, Suicide Prevention, Community Organizing, Conflict Resolution, and the Public Health Approach to Violence.

If you have ever wanted to join an institute, doing so is easier than ever! Registration for the event can be completed below.

 

Register for October's Ambassador Institute Here


American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

Out of the Darkness Community Walk

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. Help spread the word about the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk this fall.

Every year, the AFSP brings together friends, family, and supporters to more than 400 communities nationwide.  Walks aim to raise awareness around suicide, reduce the stigma of mental health, and raise funds for research.  There are in-person and virtual ways to get involved. Louisville's Out of the Darkness Community Walk will take place on November 11.  Register for the event here.


Online Learning

With limited trainings and in-person gatherings, here are some interesting learning opportunities to continue to grow and develop our collective understanding of violence.

Neighborhood grid

How Community Land Trusts Can Help Heal Segregated Cities

Land is one of the most essential resources to discuss when ensuring equity within a community. Last month, Louisville Metro announced plans to make changes to the Land Development Code and invest in a Community Land Trust. While formal Community Land Trusts took root in the 1970s, cities across the country have recently begun to see their collective power of shared equity, translating to thousands of homeownership opportunities. See why these steps will help make permanent, affordable housing available, and how Community Land Trusts can play a vital role in transforming communities in the years to come.

Voter Locations & Registered Voters By Precinct

To honor National Voter Registration Day, the Center for Neighborhoods utilized GIS technology to identify voter registration in Louisville. Explore the Center for neighborhood's Map of the Month and remind your family, friends and neighbors to register to vote.

Clicking on the map will show you party breakdowns as well as the percent of the total registered voters in each precinct.

Map of the Month Screenshot

News and Announcements


National Voter Registration Day!

The fourth Tuesday of September is National Voter Registration Day.  This is a great time to review the three ways your vote can be counted this year!

  1. In person, before Election Day (Oct. 13–Nov. 2)
  2. In person, on Election Day (Nov. 3)
  3. By absentee ballot (return by mail or ballot dropbox) 

The online portal to request an absentee ballot is now open. Visit  GoVoteKY.com to request your ballot. The deadline to apply online for an Absentee ballot is October 9 no later than 11:59 p.m. EST. Those who have requested absentee have already started receiving their ballots!

If you have not yet registered to vote, be sure to do so before the deadline on October 5 at 4 p.m. You can register, change your registration or check to make sure you are registered at GoVoteKY.com

Finally, consider being a poll worker! The Jefferson County Clerk is seeking both Democrats and Republicans to fill positions on November 3 to have more polling locations open for people who will vote in person. If you are registered to vote in Jefferson County, and you have not changed party affiliation in the past year, you are eligible! More information including an application can be found here.

Visit Kentucky's Voter Information Portal to access any other information about the upcoming election,  including early polling sites and sample ballots.

Breonna Taylor Estate Settlement

Last week, a settlement was reached within the Breonna Taylor estate. While the $12 million settlement, the largest in LMPD history, is significant, it is of the utmost importance to shed light on the crucial policy changes that were the driving force in reaching a resolution. While this does not reconcile the death of Breonna Taylor, these life-saving policies and previously passed measures will ultimately preserve life and improve public safety. The local and national attention this case has received has helped lead a movement, and it will help affirm Breonna's legacy by addressing violence through the structural and systemic racism that is hurting cities across the country. While Breonna Taylor's legacy will always be the family, friends, and neighbors she touched, these measures aim to ensure other black men and women, and their families, will not experience the same preventable tragedy.

Community Related Police Programs

  • Housing Credit Program: Metro will establish a housing credit program to incentivize officers to live within a Qualified Census Tract as their primary residence. Metro will review programs established in Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, and Washington, D.C., as models for Louisville. The initiative will provide officers with a pathway to homeownership and improve community connections.
  • Retain Social Workers: Metro commits to retaining social workers at LMPD for officer support and assistance on dispatched runs warranting a social worker’s presence. Metro is researching best practices and social worker qualifications to create an effective program. Metro plans to initially fund this new program through forfeiture funds by contracting for the services of social workers.
  • Community Volunteering: Metro will encourage LMPD officers to volunteer two hours a pay period, during their regular work shift, at an organization in the community they serve.

Search Warrant Reforms

  • LMPD has amended its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) 8.1 on search warrants to require a commanding officer to review and approve all search warrants, affidavits in support of search warrants, and risk matrixes before an officer seeks judicial approval for a search warrant. SOP 8.1 has been updated concerning the simultaneous execution of search warrants at multiple locations. The commanding officer of the unit initiating the warrants will act as the overall Incident Commander with a separate on-scene Commanding Officer at each warrant location who will serve as the Deputy Incident Commander for that location. SOP 8.1 has been updated to require the presence of EMS units and/or paramedics for forced entry search warrants.

Police Accountability Reforms

  • Currency Seizures: LMPD has modified SOP 11.3 with additional protocols for money seized as evidence. The additional policy expressly states that officers must have their body cameras activated for the entire seizure process, which includes counting, placing and sealing the currency into the currency evidence bag before its transport to the property room.
  • IAPro: Metro will implement the early warning system of IAPro that tracks all use of force incidents, citizen complaints, investigations and other key factors. Metro is committed to identifying any police officer in need of additional assistance or training. The reactivation of this system will require additional personnel to monitor and administer the program. As part of its top-to-bottom review, Hillard Heintze will evaluate the criteria of the early warning system and recommend any needed improvements. Metro plans for the early warning system to be also monitored through the Office of Inspector General once this office is established.
  • Drug testing: All officers are subject to random testing. Metro agrees to include in 2021 negotiations with the FOP an expansion of the random drug testing to ensure all officers are randomly tested at least once a year.
  • Personnel files: Metro will negotiate with the FOP in 2021 to expand on the records it may maintain in police officers’ personnel files.
  • PSU Investigations: Metro has updated its PSU investigation process regarding cases when a police officer separates from LMPD before the completion of his or her investigation. The police officer’s personnel file will include a PSU closing letter that states the Chief’s findings based on the evidence that exists in the file at the time of the separation from LMPD, if sufficient evidence exists in the record to make such a determination or that insufficient evidence exists to make a finding. If the nature of the complaint is significant enough to have reasonably resulted in the suspension of a police officer, the PSU investigation will continue gathering evidence to evaluate if additional officers or problems exist that require the PSU investigation to continue.

 

Breonna Taylor Sign

Stay Connected!


There is great work happening here in the office, and most importantly, in our community. It is our goal to keep you engaged, involved and co-leading our important work. Our vision for Louisville is a city of safe neighborhoods where everyone is supported, free of violence, and prepared for lifelong success. We can only achieve this together, so stay connected with our monthly newsletters, social media, and visit our website for more information and additional calls to action.

Past OSHN Newsletters can be viewed here.


We would love your feedback. If you have questions or concerns regarding our newsletter, or have a related event that you would like to communicate with our networks, contact Joe Newland.

Take care of each other.
#BeThe1

OSHN Team