Community in Action
Examples of programs, policies, and tools in action.

Police and community members work together in Everett, MA

January 19, 2017
State:
Massachusetts

Police and community members work together in Everett, MA

To improve relationships with local youth and immigrant communities, the Everett Police Department has partnered with local stakeholders to implement principles of community policing, a transformative approach to protecting communities. This approach engaged local youth through the Everett Teen Center and Teens in Everett Against Substance Abuse to create an ongoing dialogue with members of the police force, building trust and common ground. Proactive meetings with the immigrant community to address concerns about racial profiling led to a brochure (available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Haitian Creole) that explains what to expect when stopped by the police. The Everett Police Department has been recognized by the Vera Foundation for its positive engagement with immigrant communities. The department continues to implement initiatives that regularly engage residents through schools, community organizations, and youth groups. Ongoing community conversations have also built awareness of the importance of diversity within the police force.

Everett, MA is a 2015 RWJF Culture of Health Prize winner. To see a video about this work and other efforts to address health equity and social justice in Everett, visit this page. To connect with someone about this work in Everett, contact Jaime Lederer, Everett Community Health Partnership and Cambridge Health Alliance, at [email protected] or Chief Steven A. Mazzie, Everett Police Department, at (617) 394-2365.

Communities in Action provide examples of strategies or tools in action. Their purpose is to connect like-minded communities in their implementation efforts, giving insight into how others are tackling key challenges and what they've accomplished. To learn more about the evidence supporting this strategy's effectiveness or resources to help move towards implementation, see the What Works for Health summary of Community policing.

Date added: January 19, 2017