A Framework for Community Engagement

Protests, at times violent, following the May 25, 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer and several deaths of individuals resulting from encounters with police fueled a movement to change the way the police operate. There were calls to defund the police (headcount/operational budgets) and remove certain responsibilities from law enforcement officers (i.e., mental health calls, homeless individuals, enforcement of minor traffic violations, etc.) and assign these responsibilities to mental health and other professionals believed better prepared to resolve these matters. This movement also called for increased police transparency and accountability for their actions and a demand for a policing style more responsive to the community.