Coalition Partner Update # 8

Building Partnership & Coalition

SafeBR continues to grow! We are asking you to forward this update to 5 individuals or organizations and encourage them to join the movement to create the safest city in Louisiana. Every Baton Rouge citizen committed to this vision can join online at safebr.org/join.  

SafeBR would like to thank the 100+ attendees at our second in-person Community Partner meeting held on Wednesday, June 21st! A special thanks to Mike Wampold and The Renaissance Hotel staff for serving as our host and for the incredible hospitality.

RECAP (6/21 Community Safety Partner Meeting):

• Partners received updates from law enforcement leaders on initiatives that they have and are continuing to work on in our community, particularly those focused on combating violent crime.

• Heard from DA Hillar Moore; BRPD Chief Murphy Paul; EBR Sheriff Sid Gautreaux; and Courtney Scott from the Office of Mayor-President. Special thanks to each for their participation and attendance!

• Partner opportunity for open dialogue with Q&A.

• Recent Wins!

• Inspiration Center funding secured from the state! More to be done!

• Governor signed two important bills

• HB566 (Davis) - Regulating Offender Tracking Systems

• HB217 (LaFleur) - Adding two Commissioners to the 19th JDC

• Thanks to Paula Davis and Vanessa LaFleur who carried public safety-related bills in the 2023 legislative sessions.

• HB556 - Brings oversight and accountability to the system of offender monitoring, closes gaps in communication and data sharing between law enforcement and the judiciary, and creates uniform requirements and standards for companies who employ monitoring devices the devices themselves.

• HB214 - Adds two additional commissioners to the 19th JDC, allowing for enhanced pretrial services and speedier case processing.

• Page-Rice Camera Progress

• 60 Day Goals

• Mid-August Partner Meeting (Accountability & Transparency)

• Prioritize SafeBR investment projects and provide Comprehensive Case for Support to Coalition Partners

The third in-person SafeBR Community Partner meeting is officially scheduled for:

Wednesday, August 23rd at 4:00 PM at
The Executive Center
(250 S. Foster Dr.; Baton Rouge, 70806)

At the August gathering, SafeBR, will focus on Accountability & Transparency (Pillar 3) of its focused initiatives and provide aligned data supporting the case for collective investment. Judicial leadership will share real-time updates where we'll hear about their efforts and needs across the entire justice system including information related to our Courts and associated Reform efforts. SafeBR will demonstrate ways for Partners to further engage; begin to understand and support initiatives; understand and discuss alignment on crucial data; to name a few. While SafeBR is not responsible for public safety, we believe through your partnership, we will drive focused investment of time and resources into making our community safer.

Fundraising & Support:

SafeBR is resourcing a 3-year funding strategy to leverage $65M toward the 3 Pillars of focus (~$50M in public funding and $15M in private investment). To date, we have identified over $7.5M for SafeBR and urge supporters to visit safebr.org/support to contribute. If you, or your company, are ready to discuss investment in SafeBR initiatives, please reach out to Ethan Bush (ethan@thirtythreestrategies.com) and we will set a time to meet.

Core Pillar Updates

SafeBR will spark immediate action while building long-term solutions to support community safety, focusing on solutions that drive the three pillars of SafeBR: 

Pillar 1.
New resources for law enforcement to enhance new and existing strategies proven effective in stopping violent crime as well as individual assistance for first responders injured in the line of duty.

Pillar 2.
Community investment in evidence-based strategies to disrupt the cycle of crime and violence.

Pillar 3.
Accountability and transparency for the entire system of justice and our collective investments

(Pillar 1)
Visit Baton Rouge Grants up to $150,000 to Page-Rice Camera Initiative

A Baton Rouge initiative to install police cameras at businesses in high-crime areas received a $150,000 donation to surveil hotels in the capital city, officials announced this past Tuesday morning at a press conference.

Visit Baton Rouge, the city’s tourism marketing organization, said Tuesday it would donate $150,000 to the Page/Rice Initiative to install security cameras at hotels across East Baton Rouge Parish in collaboration with The Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice Foundation. The donation comes as part of Visit Baton Rouge’s strategic plan to increase tourism through 2025.

Related Article: Agency gives $150K for cameras to monitor hotels for crime | Crime/Police | theadvocate.com

(Pillar 3)
Justice Management Institute (JMI) Partners Visit to Baton Rouge

Representatives from JMI conducted a site visit from May 16th through May 18th to present the results of the Pretrial Services Agency report conducted at the end of 2022. 

JMI held separate presentations for judges, attorneys, and community members to educate them on national standards and best practices as they relate to the use of Pretrial Risk Assessment Tools and Pretrial Services Units with the goal of beginning to lay the groundwork to meet those standards in EBR. 

Report: Developing a Pretrial Services Agency in East Baton Rouge Parish, LA (squarespace.com)

New York Times (if a member) Article sharing:What Happened When a Brooklyn Neighborhood Policed Itself for Five Days - The New York Times (nytimes.com)

SafeBR is a coalition of aligned public, private, and non-profit organizations dedicated to making Baton Rouge a safer community. SafeBR updates, crime statistics, funding priorities, and a comprehensive list of leaders in support of SafeBR can be viewed by the public at safebr.org.