Joint Community Police Partnership

The JCPP is a collaborative effort of the cities of Richfield, Hopkins, Brooklyn Park and Brooklyn Center; Hennepin County; and the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council.

Our mission is to enhance communication and understanding between law enforcement officers and multicultural residents of these cities.  By building trust and communication between police and community members, we will ultimately improve the safety and livability of our communities.

We are working together to build safer communities.

To build better relations with multicultural communities, JCPP has three main strategies:

1. Improve the community members’ knowledge and understanding of police procedures and laws.
2. Improve police officers’ knowledge and understanding of the diverse cultural communities residing in their cities.
3. Provide more opportunities for positive interaction and two-way communication between police officers and community members.

Our activities include:

• Each police department has a Community Liaison.
• Multicultural cadets and community service officers have been hired.
• Police officers are now trained to be culturally competent.
• Officers are provided with Spanish lessons.
• Community members come to small meetings – in their homes, churches, community centers and more – to learn about laws and police procedures.
• Adults and youth attend academies to improve their understanding of police procedures and laws.
• Pamphlets and videos have been created and translated to help community members better understand police services and laws.

Community Activities: How You Can Get Involved!

• Citizen’s Academy in Spanish is a daylong class for adult community members who speak Spanish and want to learn more about police procedures and laws.  This academy is done in partnership with other community organizations.  Sessions generally include information about such topics as different law enforcement agencies, traffic stops, when to call 911, alcohol and drugs, city code enforcement and gangs.
• Youth academies are organized in collaboration with area schools to provide youth with the opportunity to learn more about the police and the laws.  Topics include such issues as Gangs, driving while intoxicated dating violence, personal safety and personal choices.
• Community meetings and informational Q&A sessions with police officers are periodically held at community locations, including apartment complexes, churches, resident’s homes and at English Language Learner (ELL) classes.  Topics can be tailored to the needs and interest of the audience.  Meetings can be as small as 15-20 people or as large as 300+ people.
• The JCPP Multicultural Advisory Committee meets with people personnel on a monthly basis to discuss topics that are important to their communities.  The meetings are an opportunity for two-way communication and to enhance mutual understanding between the police and the community.  Committee membership is open to anyone interested in applying. Follow the links below to download the informational flyer and application to apply.

Flyer & Application:

Police Multicultural Advisory Committee flyer

Police Multicultural Advisory Committee information application

Contacts:

For more information, feel free to contact the Community Liaisons:

Richfield Police Community Liaison
Amy Dusek – 612/861-9840
adusek@cityofrichfield.org

Hopkins Police Community Liaison
Tsehai Wodajo, MSW, LGSW – 952/548-6428
tsehai@hopkinsmn.com 

Brooklyn Park Police Community Liaison
Robin Martinson – 763/493-8125
robin.martinson@brooklynpark.org

Brooklyn Center Police Community Liaison
Monique Drier – 763/503-3265
mdrier@ci.brooklyn-center.mn.us