Durham Police Reform Initiative Shows Early Results
Durham's community-led policing reform program reports a 22% reduction in use-of-force incidents and improved community satisfaction scores in its first year of implementation.
Durham's Community Safety Initiative, a comprehensive policing reform program launched one year ago, has produced measurable improvements in both police conduct metrics and community relations, according to a new independent evaluation.
The program, developed through an 18-month collaborative process involving law enforcement, community organizations, mental health professionals, and city officials, represents one of the most ambitious police reform efforts in the state.
Key findings from the first-year evaluation: - Use-of-force incidents decreased 22% - Complaints against officers dropped 31% - Community satisfaction surveys showed a 15-point improvement - Mental health crisis response times improved by 40% - Officer retention rates increased 8%
The initiative's centerpiece is a co-responder model that pairs police officers with mental health professionals for calls involving behavioral health crises. In its first year, the co-responder teams handled over 2,400 calls, with 78% resolved without arrest or use of force.
"We're proving that public safety and community trust aren't competing goals," said the police chief. "When you invest in training, mental health response, and genuine community partnerships, everyone benefits."
The program also includes enhanced de-escalation training, body camera accountability measures, a civilian review board with investigatory authority, and a community mediation program for lower-level conflicts.
Critics on both sides have weighed in. Some community advocates say the reforms don't go far enough and call for more fundamental changes to policing structures. Some law enforcement supporters worry that the emphasis on de-escalation could put officers at risk in dangerous situations.
The city council has voted to expand funding for the program by 15% in the upcoming budget, based on the positive first-year results. Other North Carolina cities, including Greensboro and Fayetteville, have expressed interest in studying Durham's model.