HOUSTON – My Brother’s Keeper Houston, an initiative of the Houston Health Department, today partnered with Crime Stoppers Houston to offer members of Houston City Council, HISD administrators, law enforcement leaders, government officials, community activists, the NAACP and criminal justice administrators training on improving interactions between police and civilians.
The Houston-Harris County Peacekeepers Movement training session is a result of the Community Safety Education Act (Texas Senate Bill 30), authored by Senators Royce West and John Whitmire.
“Crime Stoppers of Houston is committed, focused and invested in the safety of all who call Houston home,” said Rania Mankarious, CEO of Crime Stoppers Houston. “Since our inception in 1980, we have recognized the importance of collaboration in order to create positive public safety changes and were honored to host today’s Peacekeepers Movement and Senate Bill (SB) 30 training. This bill, along with countless others, are a step in the right direction for the communities we live in.”
“Unfortunately, there are many recent examples of interactions between police officers and youth that tragically ended in the death of a young person,” said Noel A. Pinnock, bureau chief of the Houston Health Department Bureau of Youth and Adolescent Health and director of MBK Houston. “The overall goal of this training is to ensure both the officer and civilian leave the scene peacefully. That’s why we at MBK Houston coined the movement ‘Peacekeepers.’”
The Community Education Safety Act requires such training for high school students, police officers and people taking driver education courses, effective September 1, 2018.
The Peacekeepers Movement, launched on October 1, 2018, aims to train 50,000 “peacekeepers” within one year. Training sessions are being conducted at high schools, civic groups, social organizations, non-profits and commercial businesses.
Approximately 5,000 members of the Houston Police Department (HPD) will receive the training, which exceeds Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) requirements. HPD officers play a key role in the civilian training sessions.
Peacekeepers Movement training sessions, developed by Dr. Everette B. Penn, director of TAPS Academy and professor of criminology at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, are 1-2 hours for civilians and 3-hours for police officers.
The training covers:
- Proper behavior for civilians and police officers during interactions
- The duties and responsibilities of police officers
- A civilian’s rights concerning interactions with police officers
- Laws regarding questioning and detention by police officers
- How to submit an official compliment or complaint about a police officer
Organizations are welcome to learn more or schedule a training through the Peacekeepers Movement website at www.peacekeepersmovement.org.
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