Change is difficult and not welcome when the task seems so difficult. However, we must seek to change a partial Criminal Justice system. We must begin to dialog in our communities on the issue of Racism. Until we embrace our differences and learn from past mistakes, we will continue to see injustices and violence occur in our communities.
This is not the time to sit on the sidelines and disengage. We must become more engaged in pushing public policy changes. It is a shared responsibility to ensure our communities are safe and free from criminal activities.
Our communities' social make-up is changing rapidly, which will require community and police interactions to change. A focus on de-escalation training, mental health training, and crisis intervention, for police officers, correctional officers, first responders, and individuals that work in the Criminal Justice system will be required in order to see a decrease in violent encounters.
We must also acknowledge and create policies that are culturally sensitive, and recognize that we must prepare our first responders more aggressively for an increased population of individuals with disabilities and special needs.