Peace Officer Project by Police2Peace ® redefines and reimagines policing on a national scale in a way that both police and communities at odds with police can embrace. It includes three components: Peace Officer Promise, Peace Officer Framework and Peace Officer Online Training.
Over the last four years, Police2Peace has grown from the idea of introducing PEACE OFFICER wording into police agencies and communities into the Peace Officer Project. The Peace Officer Project is an organizational mindset along with tools which changes the culture of policing so that it is focused on resolving problems. Like medicine, professionals in law enforcement are bound by an oath to, “First, do no harm.” The Peace Officer Project redefines, reimagines and advances this oath with tools, training and programs which guide policing approaches and behavior. Our goal was to design a solution which makes sense to police and resonates with community. Having done this work, we understand that without the involvement of the police, there is no hope for lasting change. The Peace Officer Project represents a way for all American police agencies to reimagine themselves from strictly enforcers of the law to reaffirming their role to do no harm as keepers of the peace. And at a time when budgets are stretched, it’s low-cost or no cost to implement.
Our tools, training, programs and collaborations were developed with the knowledge that maintaining the peace involves a lot more than just controlling crime. This paradigm shift away from the police being viewed solely as law enforcement is driven by what the police do every day. From communicating with people, to mediating disputes, to intervening when necessary to protecting the vulnerable, policing is at its core about peacekeeping. In this sense, Police2Peace is realizing the promise of community policing.
Join us as we continue our work of policing to peace by taking advantage of the tools, training, programs and collaborations that support a new, national police culture which is fundamentally and sustainably about keeping the peace. Check out our Model Policy, our Peace Officer Promise, agency-specific tools and community programs. Through the active engagement of the police and the community, public trust can be built and confidence can be restored. With 80% of the 50 states and District of Columbia already using the term “Peace Officer” in their penal codes, the question may not be whether this can become the national culture of policing, it’s when. Together we are more.