Real Safety comes from ensuring that all people’s basic needs are met — stable housing, dignified jobs, accessible healthcare, quality education, and strong social support networks.
Many of the safest neighborhoods are often those with the most resources and not necessarily the most police. Poverty, inequality, racism, and an inability to access mental health programs are the real culprits. Delivering public safety of course, means phasing out archaic, unsuccessful policing based on violence and punishment and creating a much larger role within our local police department for unarmed emergency response teams.
These nonviolent teams have proven to be more successful in helping people in most emergency situations and are vastly more cost effective. A safe and secure community is built by ensuring that everyone has what they need to thrive—healthy work environments, dynamic schools, well-maintained parks and open spaces–that systems are fair and inclusive, and that people have the power to participate in democratic government and can trust in one another.