BRENHAM POLICE DEPT. SEEKING ACCEPTANCE INTO NATIONAL PEER INTERVENTION PROGRAM

  

The Brenham Police Department is looking to join a national training and support initiative aimed at creating a culture of peer intervention that prevents harm to citizens.

The department is seeking certification and acceptance into the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project.  The program, according to a press release from the department, provides practical active bystandership strategies and tactics to law enforcement officers to prevent misconduct, reduce mistakes and promote health and wellness.

If accepted, the department will partner with Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. to provide the training for all commissioned police officers of all ranks within the department.  The department would join a select group of only approximately 70 other law enforcement agencies and statewide and regional training academies from across the nation.

The initiative was developed by Georgetown Law’s Innovative Policing Program in collaboration with global law firm Sheppard Mullin LLP, and is backed by prominent civil rights and law enforcement leaders.

Brenham Police Chief Ron Parker said giving police officers the right tools and training to serve the public is his responsibility, and believes this program will help them be more successful and avoid misconduct.  He said the department is sincere in its mission to be transparent and hold itself accountable for its actions.

The department recently formed a Citizens’ Advisory Board to act as a community resource and a forum for discussion in order to improve police and community relations.  The department is also reviewing its entire policy manual and will soon make its policies accessible to the public via the internet, in order to foster greater transparency.

Local backers of the department’s application to join the program include Faith Mission and Help Center Executive Director Randy Wells, Brenham NEXT President Marcus Lawhon on behalf of the organization’s board of directors, and Brenham City Manager James Fisher.

Pending acceptance of the department's application, program success will be determined by one year of comparison data in the following areas:

• Officers trained by the 180-day benchmark.
• Officer attitudes and impressions as measured by the ABLE pre- and post- training survey tool.
• Use of force rates.
• Officer grievances.
• Officer wellness markers – attendance, tardiness and sick leave.
• Community complaints.

The ABLE Project is guided by a board of advisors comprised of civil rights, social justice, and law enforcement leaders, and a collection of other police leaders, rank and file officers and social justice leaders.