We are proud to highlight the incredible movement and partnership that several of our member foundations are engaged in focused on building trust between law enforcement and our communities. It is through collaborations such as this that we can imagine community transformation for boys and men of color at its most effective level.

“Too many Californians live in fear – of violence in their communities but also at the hands of law enforcement that is supposed to protect and serve. At the same time, officers who put their lives on the line increasingly feel like a target. We are deeply appreciative of The James Irvine Foundation and our colleagues in philanthropy for supporting this important effort to advance a shared vision of safety for our communities.” – Tim Silard, President of the Rosenberg Foundation

“The best ideas and most important insights arise when people come together for honest conversations like the ones that PICO California will be facilitating across California. Communication and relationship-building are essential to creating a shared vision for safer, healthier communities.” – Robert K. Ross, M.D., President and CEO of The California Endowment

“This work is a fundamental part of advancing racial equity in the Bay Area, in particular to increase the sense of trust and safety for communities of color in our region. Funders can help by investing in new approaches like those embodied in this work that can deliver long-term solutions built by and with the communities that are too often left out of decisions that greatly impact their daily lives.” – Fred Blackwell, CEO of The San Francisco Foundation

“For many years the Weingart Foundation has supported efforts to improve relationships and build trust between communities and law enforcement. We are very pleased to support this incredibly important work, and applaud the leadership of PICO California and the Irvine Foundation for forging this collaborative effort.” – Fred J. Ali, President and CEO of the Weingart Foundation

· “The tragedies and tension we have collectively witnessed between communities and color and law enforcement call out for collective action – and new approaches. While the escalating violence and mistrust is profoundly disturbing, we find hope in the promising efforts of PICO California and others to help create safer communities for everyone.” – Don Howard, President and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation

Seven California Foundations to Fund Effort to Build Trust Between Law Enforcement and Communities of Color

SAN FRANCISCO – In response to incidents of violence between police and communities of color across the country, seven California foundations are committing more than $1.3 million to an initiative that aims to improve public safety by building trust between law enforcement and communities of color. Participants in the funding effort include The California Endowment, The California Wellness Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, Rosenberg Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, Weingart Foundation, and the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

The funds are awarded to expand the “Building Trust Through Reform” initiative led by PICO California, a statewide network of 500 faith-based community organizations. With this support, PICO California will work in partnership with communities and local efforts across the state, building on a program piloted in Oakland that fosters trust among law enforcement and communities of color by building a shared commitment to reform.

“While there’s much work to do, we’ve seen encouraging results from bringing together community members and law enforcement to increase trust and public safety through honest conversations about history, bias, community voice, and respect,” said Rev. Ben McBride, deputy director for PICO California. “As we work together to unlock long-term solutions that protect community members and the police officers who serve them, an ecosystem for trust is more accessible for everyone.”

As a faith leader with Oakland Community Organization (OCO), an affiliate of PICO California, Rev. McBride helped train 700 Oakland Police Department officers on the historical effects of policing, how to better listen, see other’s perspectives, and maintain trust throughout interactions. The OCO training team used community participation and perspectives as a centerpiece of their curriculum.

In Oakland, community and law enforcement worked together to identify specific policy changes, such as eliminating foot pursuit into residential backyards, a leading factor in frequent officer-involved shootings. By regularly bringing together law enforcement and community members and activists, Oakland ended a 20-year pattern of, on average, one officer-involved fatal shooting every six weeks (achieving a 23-month period with zero lethal officer-involved shootings), while reducing homicides by nearly 40 percent over two years and also reducing officer injury.

The program will expand to Sacramento and Stockton; Richmond, Berkeley, and San Francisco; Fresno, Modesto, and Bakersfield; Los Angeles County; San Bernardino and Riverside; and San Diego. The expansion, based on the new grants, will begin now and continue over the next two years.

The program helps build bridges by jointly training officers and community members on a number of issues, including unconscious bias. Community members who earn certifications will then train 3,000 officers across the state. PICO California will also organize 120 regional meetings with law enforcement and community members, including formerly incarcerated individuals and their families, to identify and implement concrete policy solutions for improving police and community relationships.

“The tragedies and tension we have collectively witnessed between communities of color and law enforcement call out for collective action – and new approaches,” said Don Howard, president and CEO of The James Irvine Foundation, which is providing the anchor grant for the effort. “While the escalating violence and mistrust is profoundly disturbing, we find hope in the promising efforts of PICO California and others to help create safer communities for everyone.”

The PICO California project, among other work, is part of ongoing collaboration between PICO California and the Rosenberg Foundation, which supports advocacy to dismantle barriers to opportunity in the areas of criminal justice reform, immigrant rights, economic justice, and civic engagement in California.

“Too many Californians live in fear – of violence in their communities but also at the hands of law enforcement that is supposed to protect and serve,” said Tim Silard, president of the Rosenberg Foundation. “At the same time, officers who put their lives on the line increasingly feel like a target. We are deeply appreciative of The James Irvine Foundation and our colleagues in philanthropy for supporting this important effort to advance a shared vision of safety for our communities.”

###

About the Rosenberg Foundation:

The Rosenberg Foundation is an independent, grantmaking foundation committed to ensuring that every person in California has an equal opportunity to participate fully in the state’s economic, social, and political life. Created in 1935 through the bequest of California business leader Max L. Rosenberg, the Foundation has provided more than 3,000 grants totaling nearly $85 million to regional, statewide and national organizations advocating for social and economic justice throughout California. For more information: www.rosenbergfound.org

About the James Irvine Foundation:
The James Irvine Foundation is a private, nonprofit grantmaking foundation dedicated to expanding opportunity for the people of California. The Foundation’s grantmaking focuses on expanding economic and political opportunity for families and young adults who are working but struggling with poverty. Since 1937 the Foundation has provided over $1.5 billion in grants to more than 3,600 nonprofit organizations throughout California. With about $2 billion in assets, the Foundation made grants of $74 million in 2015 for the people of California. For more information about the Irvine Foundation, please visit our website: www.irvine.org