Keeping Us Safe, Beyond Policing (with Dr. Phil Goff and Zach Norris)

Baratunde builds off the last episode of his previous podcast, We’re Having a Moment. He speaks with two esteemed guests, Dr. Phil Goff, who works directly with police departments around the country, and Zach Norris, who works with communities, about ways we can reclaim public safety that don’t always need to involve the police. Show Notes + Links Find Phil @DrPhilGoff and visit Center for Policing Equity and @policingequity on social media. Find Zach @zachwnorris and at zachnorris.com. Visit Ella Baker Center, and @ellabakercenter on social media. Also grab his book, We Keep Us Safe here. Find this episode, a transcript, show notes and more at howtocitizen.com. Please rate and review this podcast and share feedback at comments@howtocitizen.com. Use #howtocitizen on social media.  For this episode, here is what you can do. INTERNAL ACTIONS It starts with you. Explore your own relationship to feeling safe and living among your neighbors. Answer some of the following questions for yourself AND in discussion with at least one other member of your community. What do you need to feel safe in your community? What makes you feel unsafe in your community? How do you get to know your neighbors? When was the last time you made eye contact with someone in your neighborhood? When was the last time you talked to one of your neighbors? What can neighbors do to keep each other safe? Has a neighbor ever made you feel unsafe? What happened and what would have made it better? Don’t look away. Get educated on how policing works where you live. How much of your city and county budget go to police. What percentage is this of the total? What rank is police expenditure among top spending categories? Who runs law enforcement in your area? City? County? Sheriff? Chief? Who has hire/fire authority?  What is your most local access to law enforcement? Where is the nearest station or precinct?  Who is already working on public safety issues where you live?  Identify who is responsible for and makes public safety decisions wher