Erie, PA, Case Study: Improved Police-Community Trust and Decreased Racial Tension

In a new case study from the Community Relations Service (CRS), released on February 24, 2022, participants in a 2018 Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships (SPCP) facilitated dialogue program in Erie, Pennsylvania, reported improved perceptions of trust between community members and police and decreased racial tensions in the community.

In addition, 75% of survey respondents agreed that the actions of the SPCP Council addressed the issues, tensions, and conflicts identified during the SPCP program. These results are based on surveys and interviews with participants in the SPCP program and other community members.

The goals of the SPCP program are to engage local law enforcement and community leaders in dialogue to identify issues and solve problems collaboratively, increase local capacity, develop partnerships, and develop local solutions to local problems. The program is also designed to help local leaders address longstanding community distrust and other historical barriers that hinder police-community partnerships and to improve trust and develop partnerships between law enforcement officers and the diverse communities they serve.

In 2018, the city of Erie committed to strengthening trust between the police department and the local communities. At the city’s request, CRS facilitated the SPCP program for approximately 80 diverse leaders representing local youth, refugees, faith groups, law enforcement, social services groups, business and community groups, and civil rights organizations. During the program, participants identified issues impacting police-community relations and then developed solutions to address each issue. Each stakeholder group selected representatives to participate in the Erie SPCP Council, which was tasked with implementing the solutions and met monthly following the conclusion of the program.

“This case study supports what we already know: CRS programs help bring communities together to improve relationships, solve problems, and build local capacity to independently address future issues,” said CRS Acting Director Gerri Ratliff. “Erie is a model for other cities seeking to strengthen their police-community relations. And we believe that Erie’s choice of using the SPCP program was one of the keys to their success. But it was the work of Erie city officials and community leaders that resulted in expanded trust and collaboration between law enforcement and the community.”

“It was necessary, absolutely necessary, to have the Strengthening Police and Community Partnerships [program] together,” said Vanessa Belen, a member of the Erie SPCP Council. “I watched officers and community members go from hopeless to hopeful, including myself.”

To see the full case study and results, click here.