Durham Task Force releases recommendations after 2 years of work
DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- The community in Durham is hoping a newly released report will help provide solutions to issues that have plagued the Bull City for years.
The finished product of the Durham Community Safety and Wellness Task Force is more than 100 pages long and comes after more than 2 years of brainstorming sessions among more than 15 people appointed by Durham County, the City of Durham, and Durham Public Schools.
"I think it was quite different and radical that it would really change peoples' perspectives about what's happening in the school system but also our community," said Nori McDuffie, who was appointed by DPS.
The topics they tackled - everything from criminal justice reform, to gun violence, school safety, and mental health support.
ALSO SEE: City of Durham adds to HEART crisis-response program
Some of the main takeaways:
- Focus on rehabilitation instead of incarceration
- Limit use of cash bail
- Create an Office of Survivor Care
The Task Force also wants to see change in the school resource officer program.
"I think I put my stamp around one the SRO program making sure that it can be more elevated than beyond just law enforcement with something that's rooted in care, and also having an environment of mental health resources," McDuffie said.
Some of their recommendations are already in the works. The popular HEART program, which uses 911 to have trained social workers and counselors respond to mental health cases instead of police, has now been expanded city wide, 12 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Even the way the report itself it written highlights another of the group's goals - the report is bilingual in English and Spanish, and the group wants to see more community resources available in other languages.
