'The Community Owns Safety' coalition

A new group effort is focusing on the safety and community involvement in Grand Rapids.

LEADING CAUSE OFEA DTH IN THEU-S BEHIND ONLY CANCER AND HEARTDISEASE.COMING TOGETHER TO RE-IMEAGPUBLIC SAFETY IN GRAND RAPIDS -TODAY SEVERAL, PROMINENTORGANIZATIONS IN WEST MICHIGANANNOUNCED A NEW COALITION...AND PLAN TO USE THEIR POWER TOHELP THE COMMUNITY CREATECHANGE.FOX17’S MARI OSABERLE IS LIVE INTHE NEWSROOM TO EXPLAIN -MARISA?AARON / JANICE -IT’S CALLED THE COMMUNI OTYWNSSAFETY COALITI -ONAND THE NON PROFITS BEHIND ITSAY THEIR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE APLATFORM THAT EMPOWERS PEOPLE -AND ALLOWS THEM TO ADVOCATE FORPOLICIES THAT GO BEYONDPOLICING.16:51:40 "The change that weneed, needs to hapn penowVINCENT THURMAN SAYS IT’S TIMETO A -CT16:52:16 "There are so manypeople who needlessly suffer andif we can do anything aboutthat, I think it’s ourresponsibility to."THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR RFOLINC UP -A GRAND RAPIDS COMMUNITYDEVELOPMENT NONPROFIT -SAYS THAT’S WHY ITS JOINING ETHN-AA-C-P OF GREATER GRANDRAPIDS,URBAN CORE COLLECTIVE,AND THE A-C-L-U OF MICHIGAN,TO FORM THE COMMUNITY OWNSSAFETY COALITION.16:40:04 "Maki sngure peoplehave information, creating thespace for them to activate theirinterests, desir, andesperspectives, and then go on tomake decisions and influencedecision makers."IT’S AN IDEA FORMED IN THEMONTHS AFTER LAST SUMMER’S CIVILUNREST -AND AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TOCUT NINE MILLION DOLLARS FROMTHE GRAND RAPIDS’OLIC PDEPARTMENT’S BUDGET.THURMAN SAYS TOGETHE THER,GROUPS WANT TO HELP PEOPLERETHINK POLICING AND GIVE AGREATER VOICE TO ONGOINGINVESTMENTS,BY HOSTING VARIOUS EVENTS ANDUTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA TO ENGAGETHEIR IDEAS,THEN USE THE ORGANIZATIONS’CONNECTIONS TOALK TWITHLEADERS, LIKE CITYCOMMISSIONERS.16:41:08 "The community shouldbe defining how the city investsin creating thrivingcommunities.

Whether that’sthe neighborhood level, citylevel, or through institutionsthat are meant to work at thewill of the people.

The secondpiece is that there’significant disparities hinthe city invests in communitiesacross the city and so we wantto make sure that that isbalanced out."THURMAN BELIEVES CURRENT METHODSOF ENGAGEMENT CANBEINACCESSIBLE -LIKE MEETINGS IN THE MIDE OFDLTHE DAY -OR INTIMIDATING - WITH PEOPLEAFRAID TO SPEAK UP ALONE.16:51:55 "I think we’re at aplace where if people dede tociget involved, we can dosomething and make some re,allasting positive change."THE COALITION BELIEVES THISGREATER SAY COULD LEAD TAGREATER COMMUNITY.16:42:20 "It means people aren’tdisplaced from theirneighborhoods or their schoolshave the funding and investmentthat they ne tedo thrive andpeople have access toopportunities and amenities."THURMAN SAYS THIS WILL BEONGOING, BUT THEY HOPE TOPRESENT SOME IDEAS DURING THECITY COMMISSIONS BUDTGEAMMENDMENT PROCESS LATER THIS