A Community-Directed Approach to Public Safety
Somerville Mayor Katjana Ballantyne is actively implementing recommendations from the Public Safety for All initiative's task forces and working groups, focusing on creating a community-directed approach to public safety
Here's how Mayor Ballantyne is implementing their recommendations
Public Safety for All Task Force
This task force recommended developing an alternative response model and improving public safety infrastructure. The city is implementing a co-response model where clinicians and mental health specialists respond with police. They also recommended considering civilian roles in property crimes and increasing Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) and procedural justice training for officers.
Civilian Oversight Committee
This task force recommended establishing a Public Safety Oversight Commission for transparency and accountability. A proposed commission aims to ensure fairness in law enforcement practices. A 13-month implementation plan for civilian oversight has been outlined.
Anti-Violence Working Group
This group focused on reducing gun, gang, domestic, and traffic violence. They developed community-based strategies for prevention and intervention.
Mayor Ballantyne's administration is implementing these recommendations to reshape public safety through community engagement, alternative response models, accountability, and addressing the root causes of violence.
Equity and Safety
Katjana has always been an inclusive leader, but she also knows we must work beyond inclusion toward more genuine and permanent equity for vulnerable communities. As City Councilor, City Council President and as Mayor, she has supported anti-poverty measures and efforts to lift people of color, women, and immigrants, and to re-envision policing. In over three decades of public service, she:
- Served as Executive Director and CEO of Girls’ LEAP Boston, providing violence prevention programs for young women and girls at risk, serving urban girls and women of color
- Successfully advocated for sustainable new housing for Women of Color and Families at Clarendon Hill Redevelopment Housing project at North Street
- Initiated a movement to #InvestInGirls and to bring about structural change to equitably fund all genders. (Girls of color make up nearly 25% of Somerville youth in our High School, and by they attend high school, they have the highest health risk indicators among Somerville teens.)
- Advocates for, attends rallies with, and supports Just Us Somerville
- Successfully worked with community leaders to create Resolutions for SomerViva, for the city’s Office of Immigrant Affairs to hire a 2nd full time position for Spanish Community Coordinator and the first full time position for Nepali Community Coordinator
- Fully supports Somerville’s status as a sanctuary city
- Wrote the legislative order to develop a Guaranteed Income Program in Somerville
- Co-sponsored the City Council resolution order declaring a state of emergency for women
- - Reviewed the fiscal year 2021 Police Budget and voted to keep the police staffing levels the same as fiscal year 2020 until the "re-imaging Police" community process is completed by the newly-hired Director of Racial Social Justice.
- With her city council colleagues, hired Somerville’s first Director of Racial and Social Justice, and is hosting discussions to “re-imagine” the police for the twenty first century
- Is committed to creating a civilian oversight committee to increase communication and accountability between the Police Department and our community
