THE CITY OF OLYMPIA’S COMMUNITY WORKGROUP ON REIMAGINING PUBLIC SAFETY WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU!

From the City of Olympia to BUILD:
 
The City has launched a community-led process to ensure our public safety system works for everyone. This process is being led by a Community Work Group who is hosting a series of Listening-and-Learning Sessions during April and May.

We invite you BUILD and members of your community to join us on the evening of April 28, 2022, between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. PST for an in-person conversation on:  

• What is working well with the City’s public safety system? What is not working well with the City’s public safety system?
• What the City can do today to make a difference with our public safety system?  
• How will you know we are making progress with improving our public safety system, and what will that look and feel like to you?  

 
The City of Olympia is dedicated to deeper exploration of racism, and specifically anti-Black racism. Marginalized communities such as people with disabilities, the LGBTQ+ community and specifically people who are transgender or non-binary, immigrants, people in poverty, and many others also have important concerns.
 
Together, we’re committed to a better understanding of these to ensure that everyone in our community feels that the public safety system works for them. To do that, we need to hear from People of Color community members. The listening-and-learning sessions are brave spaces for honest sharing and conversation about what’s important to you, your experiences, and your ideas for reimagining public safety for our community.

Together, we’re committed to ensuring that everyone in our community feels that the public safety system works for them. To do that, we need to hear from you. The listening-and-learning sessions are brave spaces for honest sharing and conversation about what’s important to you, your experiences, and your ideas for reimagining public safety for our community.
 
Background 
While recognizing that many far-reaching societal factors (education, housing access, racism, etc.) can influence public safety, this process takes a closer look at specifically the City’s public safety system, which includes areas like policing, crisis response, corrections, prosecution, defense, courts, and medical and fire response.
 
This effort is being led by a Community Work Group made up of nine community members who represent a cross-section of Olympia’s demographics, expertise, and experiences.  The members are dedicated to listening carefully to community members, with an emphasis on voices of people that have often been excluded from decision-making. Using what they learn, they will work together to prepare recommendations for the Olympia City Council that represent the needs of our community. 

The work group’s intention is to provide a facilitated opportunity for safe, intimate discussion. However, please share this invitation with specific members of your community who you feel would be an asset to this important conversation.
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To learn more about this process, including how to register for the listening-and-learning session, and view helpful pre-discussion materials, visit engage.olympiawa.gov/publicsafety.