SWAMPSCOTT — The Police Department, in collaboration with Police2Peace, a nonprofit aimed at uniting police departments and communities through uplifting programs, is inviting residents to attend training sessions to build trust and understanding between police and the community.
The initiative, which is called “the Peace Officer Project and the Peace Officer Promise” introduces the Peace Officer framework, a national model that emphasizes policing which is “effective, empathetic and just,” according to the press release. The community session will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on July 1, and the session for elected officials and town leaders will take place on July 2, scheduled at the same time.
Participants will be able to learn about the evolving challenges in policing, the cultural progression within police agencies, and will also learn how they can get involved in co-producing public safety.
What makes the Peace Officer model different is that it focuses on reducing harm while also protecting the public.
“Through the Peace Officer Promise departments publicly commit to do everything in their power to protect the community without causing unintended harm — mirroring the intent behind the medical field’s Hippocratic Oath,” the press release said.
Police Chief Ruben Quesada shared why these trainings are crucial to bridging a gap between the community and the police.
“When I became Chief in 2022, many of my officers had approached me about initiatives we could establish to show our unwavering commitment to our community. Born out of these conversations was an introduction to the Police2Peace foundation,” he said. “Being selected for this training is meaningful because, initially out of criticism from 2020, came the building blocks to establish even greater community bonds and trust. This training is just another example of how our mission is to further become ‘peace officers’ in every sense of the word. We strive to serve the community with compassion and a heart of service.”
Quesada continued, “This training reflects our dedication to accountability, innovation, and most important our desire for our residents to be heard. We are building something greater that we need more of which is hope and interconnectedness.”
The training will be open to all community members — civic leaders, faith-based organizations, educators, nonprofit partners, and concerned residents.
The Swampscott Police Department is also launching a Community Survey to gather feedback from residents about public safety in general. The survey is open through June 30, and all community members are encouraged to participate.
For any resident that may be interested in taking the survey, it can be found at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NKXL2DQ.
