Facilitated Conversation Model (The Denver Model)
Community Mediation Concept's "facilitated conversation" model provides a positive alternative to the traditional way of handling community complaints against officers. We have a proven process which builds strong community-police relationships, significantly improves both the officer's and the community member's satisfaction with the complaint handling process - and it saves time and money!
Community Police Complaint Mediation provides an opportunity for the parties to meet outside the initial conflict situation and understand in a safe, confidential and honest environment the different perspectives they each bring. it is an opportunity to understand, to explain and to talk about what took place.
The whole environment has changed since the last time these two people saw each other! Adrenalin was running strong last time, one was in control, the other was "being punished" for doing something wrong, or for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever the situation, both parties walked away knowing the situation really could have gone better - albeit for different reasons.
Here is a flow chart of CMC's model (which uses an Independent Monitor).
Four of the other municipalities we work with use the Professional Standards / Internal Affairs model.
Community Police Complaint Mediation provides an opportunity for the parties to meet outside the initial conflict situation and understand in a safe, confidential and honest environment the different perspectives they each bring. it is an opportunity to understand, to explain and to talk about what took place.
The whole environment has changed since the last time these two people saw each other! Adrenalin was running strong last time, one was in control, the other was "being punished" for doing something wrong, or for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever the situation, both parties walked away knowing the situation really could have gone better - albeit for different reasons.
Here is a flow chart of CMC's model (which uses an Independent Monitor).
Four of the other municipalities we work with use the Professional Standards / Internal Affairs model.
Community Members Say
The officer profiled me because my car is . . . (too nice, too ratty, etc.) looking.
The officer took me to the ground, and all I was doing was asking questions. Before I said a thing, he hollered at me and used profanity. |
Police Officers Say
When I pulled you over, I was on my motorcycle, the cars were rushing by within five feet of where I'm standing and I don't have time to chit-chat.
We're taught to secure the scene when something like that happens. I didn't know if you were involved in the incident or not, so the safest thing for you and for me was to have you in cuffs. |
For Officers, Mediation is an Opportunity
- To explain policies and procedures that will help the community member understand why certain things happened as they did. It can be a very effective community policing tool.
- To hear the community member's perspective, to understand the impact of their actions on them as a person, a mom, a dad or a kid. To understand how their actions that day affects their trust and respect of the police department and what they tell their friends. Mediation puts a real face on the enforcement officers routinely do. Facilitated conversations personalize the officer's interaction with people, positively or negatively. Mediation offers a chance to explain.
- To build trust and respect within the community.
- To evaluate their behavior within the context of feedback they won't receive anywhere else!
- To have their complaint against them considered resolved, with no strings attached.
For the Community, Mediation is an Opportunity
- To be heard, understood and to explain their perspective on a difficult and unusual experience.
- To "resolve the situation", especially if the officer and community member live or work in the same neighborhood, or their kids play on the same sports league.
- To resolve their fears and gain closure.
- To better understand the implications of their actions.
- To rebuild trust in the police department and in an officer's commitment to making their community better and safer for everyone.
- To provide awareness and education of the realities both community members and officers deal with on a daily basis.
- To respect the procedures put in place to protect community safety.