The Athens Chautauqua Society, Virtual Public Deliberations Series, in collaboration with the National Issues Forum

POLICING: What Should We Do to Ensure Fair Treatment and Keep Neighborhoods Safe for Everyone?

(Registration required-see below)

Moderated by Dr Margaret Holt, Emerita Professor of Adult Education, University of Georgia and
Madeline Van Dyck, Community activist, retired nurse practitioner, and Athens Chautauqua Society Board Member

IN COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES, people are rethinking police practices.

The goal: to treat all people fairly while still enforcing the law.

Topics to be addressed during this deliberation:

What should be the top priority—increasing police accountability, addressing racial bias among officers, or rethinking how police and communities respond to nonviolent, “victimless” disturbances?

What law enforcement functions should be most valued and enhanced? What aspects should be eliminated or rethought?

What kinds of unintended consequences might result from the ideas we discuss? Are there risks and trade-offs to keep in mind?

Are nonviolent crimes really harmless to individuals and communities? What happens if these non-violent acts go unaddressed and unpunished?

Change takes time. What changes are urgent? Which can be made over time?

What roles should community members, law enforcement, officeholders, social services, educators, businesses, and others play as we work to enhance and improve policing?
What should these groups do differently?

Before logging in on February15th please review the short video and Issue Advisory located on this link:
https://www.nifi.org/en/issue-guide/policing

Enrollment is limited to no more than 20 participants so please register early at
https://bit.ly/3Iidhxk

For questions contact Dr Peter Balsamo, Athens Chautauqua Society (pb9665@gmail.com)