The City of Roses Embraces Game Changer

Last Saturday, November 2 the nonprofit organization Embrace debuted its Game Changer law enforcement/community relations model to Pasadena as the result of efforts by Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton and sponsorship from the UCLA Athletic Department and the Pasadena Police Department.

Three hours before the start of the UCLA/Colorado football game at The Rose Bowl, seven members of law enforcement representing the Pasadena Police Department, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, the Los Angeles Police Department, and 10 non-law enforcement members of the general public gathered to participate in a 3-hour moderated focus group at Brookside Golf Course to discuss community problems and devise solutions.

Opening remarks were delivered by Pasadena Vice Mayor Tyron Hampton, who introduced the Game Changer model to the Pasadena Police Department.

Police Commander Art Chute also welcomed participants on behalf of the department during opening remarks. Event space, parking, and football game tickets were donated by the UCLA Athletic Department. Dinner was sponsored by the Pasadena Police Department.

Art Center College of Design Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Aaron Bruce, moderated the focus group.

Focus group participants spent approximately 90 minutes discussing various problems that exist between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Topics of discussion included traffic stops, trust, communication, media, and law enforcement transparency. The featured topic of conversation was mental health and well being among members of law enforcement. The remaining 90 minutes was spent in small groups that included at least one member of law enforcement where the participants focused on devising solutions to problems – together. Once the focus group concluded all participants attended the UCLA/Colorado football game together to continue communicating in a casual environment.

All members of law enforcement received California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training credit hours (5 hours of Community Policing and 2 hours of Interpersonal Communication).

Feedback from event participants was rooted in practicality and optimism. “My only critique is that I wish we had more time together,” said Michael Robinson, Senior Investigator within the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office Bureau of Investigations.

Game Changer creates safe space for lay members of the community, law enforcement, and elected officials to discuss problems and devise solutions together during moderated focus groups that take place 3 hours before the start of collegiate and professional sporting events. At the focus group conclusion, all participants attend the game together to build bridges, mend fences and spend quality time together.

Over a 34 month period Game Changer has hosted 69 events with over 1100 members of law enforcement and non-law enforcement members of the community.

For more information on Game Changer and future events please visit www.GameChanger1.org

Here is the link to the original story: https://www.embrace1.org/blog/city-of-pasadena-hosts-game-changer-event.html