In this podcast, Chief Rocha discusses whether improvements in community health can increase community safety in the city’s most dangerous neighborhoods. (Transcript)
Excerpt:
“One of the things we realized early on was that we had to present something that was atypical, something that they had not heard of before. That meant forming collaborative, other than the usual, law enforcement partners. So, what we did was invite members of the public health community, in this case, the San Mateo County Health Department, as well as the Ravenswood Family Medical Center, who serves this very community, as well as other atypical partners to join with us in our messaging. That message was simply this: that we had a strategic initiative, that we were inviting them to be active partners in, to increase outdoor activities and the use of public places to (1) improve their health, (2) learn about health, and (3) enjoy the outdoor spaces with the assistance of public safety officers, commonly referred to as police officers.”