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Building Bridges: Chester County Initiative Fosters De-Escalation and Friendship Between Teens and Officers

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Seven months after a peaceful Black Lives Matter rally in West Chester, Chester County youth group Sanji Strong and local law enforcement officers began meeting to discuss conflict resolution and de-escalation techniques. The initiative, led by Sheriff Fredda Maddox, has led to the formation of friendships and a deeper understanding between the teens and officers. The group has been working together since the summer and fall of 2020, with a unanimous vote to learn more about conflict resolution and expand their gatherings to include friends in 2021. The de-escalation training, held on January 16th, was led by instructors from Philadelphia's Good Shepherd Mediation Program and sponsored by Unionville Presbyterian Church.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Chester County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) initiative, led by Sheriff Fredda Maddox, brought together local law enforcement officers and African American teen-ambassadors from Sanji Strong for de-escalation and media resolution training.
  • The training was held on January 16th and led by instructors from Philadelphia's Good Shepherd Mediation Program, sponsored by Unionville Presbyterian Church.
  • The initiative began with bridge-building meetings between the teens and officers in the summer and fall of 2020, leading to a unanimous vote to learn more about conflict resolution and expand their gatherings.
  • The group has been working together to build friendships and a deeper understanding between the teens and officers.
  • Sanji Strong founder Tiffany Perkins finds hope in the work being done to build bridges and believes it is changing history in Chester County, as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and her son Eric "Sanji" Brown would be proud.
  • Sheriff Maddox stated that the goal is to continue and expand the work done together, providing tools for the community to communicate with respect and respond to conflict without violence.

Statistics:

  • The trains were held on January 16th.
  • There were no statistics regarding the number of teens and officers involved in the initiative.
  • The de-escalation training was led by instructors from Philadelphia's Good Shepherd Mediation Program.
  • The initiative was sponsored by Unionville Presbyterian Church.
  • The Sanji Strong youth group has been working together with local law enforcement since the summer and fall of 2020.

Sources:

  • Chester County Sheriff's Office news release.

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