City Of Cambridge Announces New Task Force To Examine The Future Of Public Safety

Cambridge MA

09 January, 2021

12:15 AM

Description

Press release from the City of Cambridge: January 7, 2021 City Manager Louis A. DePasquale today announced he has appointed a new Task Force to examine the future of public safety in Cambridge. "The City Manager's Task Force to Examine the Future of Public Safety in Cambridge" will be co-chaired by Councilors E. Denise Simmons and Marc C. McGovern and consists of 14 members who live and/or work in the City. The group will seek to examine ways to reform community safety in Cambridge by mitigating police response to select calls for service, while enhancing community cohesion to include restorative processes. The following were named to the Public Safety Task Force: Khalil Abdur-Rashid, Imam Dr. Muslim Chaplain at Harvard University Chandra Banks, Ed.M. Cambridge resident and Conflict Mediator Cambridge Public Schools District Loren Crowe Cambridge resident and Management Consultant Leo Gayne Public Relations Officer, East Cambridge Savings Bank Samuel M. Gebru Director of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships Black Economic Council of Massachusetts Christina Giacobbe Director of Emergency Communications and 911 Rev. Jaron S. Green Senior Pastor, Union Baptist Church Tina-Marie Johnson Cambridge resident and Cambridge Youth Council Facilitator Rev. Irene Monroe Cambridge resident Catherine Pemberton Cambridge resident and Heath Care and Wellness Consultant and System Navigation Specialist Christopher Schmidt Cambridge resident Rae Simpson, PhD Cambridge resident and Mental Health Advocate Queen-Cheyenne Wade Black Response and Community For Us, By Us Pastor Ellis Washington St. Paul AME Church "I want to thank each member of the task force for their willingness to play a pivotal role in helping shape the future of public safety in Cambridge," said City Manager Louis DePasquale. "This work will impact generations to come and improve the overall quality of service our public safety agencies provide our community. I am grateful to Councilors Simmons and McGovern for agreeing to serve as co-chairs of the Task Force. I cannot think of two more passionate leaders to facilitate the Task Force's proceedings." "I am very excited by the work of this task force, because as a City, Cambridge must continually be willing to explore how we keep our residents safe, and how we can build up greater trust and a sense of partnership between our public safety agencies and the public they serve," says Councilor E. Denise Simmons. "I know the members of this new task force are going to help us take some important steps in those endeavors." "As a social worker for the past 25 years, I know the importance of clinical responses to people in crisis," said Cambridge City Councilor Marc McGovern. "I'm honored to be co-chairing this task force that will work toward implementing such a program in Cambridge." "My staff and I look forward to working closely with the City Manager and new Task Force on this important work," said Police Commissioner Branville Bard, Jr. ""I have long been supportive of creating an alternate or non-police response for appropriate non-emergency situations, particularly those involving individuals experiencing mental illness, and this group is an important step in moving ahead in that direction." Members of the new Public Safety Task Force will meet virtually at least twice a month. The first meeting is scheduled to take place in January 2021. This press release was produced by the City of Cambridge. The views expressed here are the author's own.