Paterson Police Department – Strategic Plan

Perhaps the greatest challenge ahead of us is earning the trust of those we serve. This will be a long journey that will be undertaken together with the community to ensure that the PPD is providing the information and accountability the City of Paterson demands and deserves. Meaningful reinvention, however, requires that the voices of the community are included in every step of the process. This important work began with setting the standard by establishing a clear mission, vision, and values for
the PPD accompanied by a nationally recognized Code of Ethics to guide its members and inform the public.

We are also establishing a comprehensive youth strategy and will refocus community resource collaborations to ensure that outreach, partnerships, and policies are effectively engaging young people in productive and meaningful ways.

Precision policing and restoring quality of life are at the forefront of the PPD’s crime strategy. These efforts include increased transparency to ensure that the Department’s goals remain aligned with those it serves while using creative deployment strategies, civilianization, and thoughtful reorganization to increase the number of officers visible on the streets of Paterson and in our community where they are needed most.

Bringing community stakeholders into the management of their police department is necessary to rebuild community trust and ensure the PPD addresses the community’s concerns. Key to the PPD NEXTGEN strategy is the ability to solicit community feedback in real time to ensure our services are properly tailored to our customers. To accomplish this goal, the status quo is being reimagined. The community can expect that the PPD will work with residents, government, business, and agency partners
to develop a holistic and community-led approach to problem solving while bringing an unrelenting focus on interagency partnerships to hone in on those who drive violence in our community and ensuring a shared responsibility for public safety is upheld by all.

We are also redefining what community policing means in Paterson. Community policing must be rooted in the knowledge and understanding of the community. By ensuring authentic engagement and communication with residents, officers can develop first-hand knowledge of what the community needs from its police department and its officers. This allows the PPD, in partnership with the community, to:

• Focus deployment to deter crime and disorder;
• Address quality of life concerns;
• Arrest those few individuals in our community who victimize the innocent and drive violence;
• Provide referrals to services for those in need;
• Work with Community-Based Violence Intervention (CBVI) groups to ensure that the shared responsibility for public safety is effectively coordinated;
• Engage youth and participate in community events; and
• Build strong community relationships, increase trust, and make lasting friendships.

The evolution of policing in the City of Paterson requires innovation in people, processes, and culture. This includes a laser focus on emerging technologies and best practices. To ensure the PPD achieves a Culture of Excellence through Innovation, we have commenced a top-to-bottom review of the PPD. Expected outcomes of this review include:

• Soliciting participation and feedback from all members of the PPD about how to improve policing in Paterson;
• Ensuring the agency’s focus on de-escalation and active bystandership solutions to reduce the risk of unintended outcomes pursuant to Attorney General Directive 2021-14 and increasing the number of Crisis Intervention Trained officers, which currently stands at 81;
• Launching mental health and co-response strategies for responding to persons in crisis as an ARRIVE Together expansion site, an effort that will be driven by community input and will involve non-law enforcement responses;
• Evaluating technologies that keep officers on the street longer and with less administrative downtime;
• Recommending innovations and technologies that maximize both officer and public safety as well as reduce the likelihood of unintended outcomes during encounters with the public;
• Evaluating and improving crime and data reporting;
• Developing effective mechanisms for gauging both public and employee sentiments; and
• Developing a robust culture of employee recognition for those who consistently exceed expectations.

We are recruiting for the future and training for success. The future leadership of the PPD has yet to be hired. It is through this lens that we must view recruitment of new officers and civilian employees. For too long, underrepresented communities have been deprived of the opportunity to view law enforcement as a viable career choice. The PPD is closely examining recruiting and hiring practices to ensure equity, fairness, and access, for all those who wish to join our ranks.

Once hired, an eye must always be kept to the horizon so that innovation and improvement upon policy, practice, and resources will continue while providing comprehensive and continuous training. Employee well-being is key to any organization’s success. In this demanding profession, we must do all we can to support our officers to allow them and their families to spend time together, to connect with the support they need when life or work becomes challenging, and to make sure our employees are
well-rested and ready to take on whatever their next shift may bring. There must be a commitment to care for one another so that all are physically and mentally prepared to respond when the public needs our assistance. To accomplish these goals, the PPD is committed to:

• Identifying pathways to recruit those who have been historically underserved or under-recruited in the past;
• Examining and reimagining the field training program and officer education;
• Making the Next Generation of the PPD a reflection of the population it serves;
• Ensuring members of the PPD are paid a fair living wage and a salary commensurate with their regional counterparts;
• Exploring innovative training and equipment options for our membership;
• Maintaining an unwavering commitment to continuous evaluation of our use of force guidelines;
• Developing professional development and mentorship programs for all employees from entry level through executive positions; and
• Increasing exposure to training and best practices from throughout the law enforcement community.