TED Salon Brightline Initiative
Tracie Keesee: How police and the public can create safer neighborhoods together
Filmed:
Readability: 3.6
1,353,413 views
We all want to be safe, and our safety is intertwined, says Tracie Keesee, cofounder of the Center for Policing Equity. Sharing lessons she's learned from 25 years as a police officer, Keesee reflects on the public safety challenges faced by both the police and local neighborhoods, especially in the African American community, as well as the opportunities we all have preserving dignity and guaranteeing justice. "We must move forward together. There's no more us versus them," Keesee says.
Tracie Keesee - Law enforcement professional
Dr. Tracie Keesee is committed to making the New York Police Department the most diverse and inclusive police department in the world. Full bio
Dr. Tracie Keesee is committed to making the New York Police Department the most diverse and inclusive police department in the world. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
You know, my friends,
I look at this photograph
I look at this photograph
0
921
3253
00:16
and I have to ask myself,
1
4198
2445
00:18
you know, I think I've seen this
somewhere before.
somewhere before.
2
6667
2610
00:21
People marching in the street for justice.
3
9657
2800
00:24
But I know it's not the same photograph
that I would have seen,
that I would have seen,
4
12903
3451
00:28
because I wouldn't take my oath
to be a police officer until 1989.
to be a police officer until 1989.
5
16378
4467
00:33
And I've been in the business
for over 25 years.
for over 25 years.
6
21315
3334
00:36
And identifying
as an African-American woman,
as an African-American woman,
7
24673
2372
00:39
I know things have gotten better.
8
27069
2175
00:41
But even as I learned about public safety,
9
29268
2423
00:43
I wondered if what
I was doing on the street
I was doing on the street
10
31715
2945
00:46
was hurting or harming the community.
11
34684
2307
00:49
And I often wondered if, you know,
how did they perceive me,
how did they perceive me,
12
37323
4357
00:53
this woman in uniform?
13
41704
1881
00:56
But there is one thing that I knew.
14
44204
1684
00:57
I knew there was a way that we could
do this, probably, different or better.
do this, probably, different or better.
15
45912
3707
01:01
A way that preserved dignity
and guaranteed justice.
and guaranteed justice.
16
49939
4352
01:06
But I also knew that police
could not do it alone.
could not do it alone.
17
54883
3400
01:11
It's the coproduction of public safety.
18
59267
2666
01:15
There is a lot of history with us.
19
63251
2769
01:18
You know, we know loss.
20
66830
3143
01:26
The relationship between
21
74049
1247
01:27
the African American community
and the police is a painful one.
and the police is a painful one.
22
75320
4139
01:32
Often filled with mistrust.
23
80005
2199
01:34
It has been studied by social scientists,
24
82847
3056
01:37
it has been studied by government,
25
85927
3055
01:41
all both promising, you know,
hopeful new ways and long-term fixes.
hopeful new ways and long-term fixes.
26
89006
4853
01:46
But all we want is to be safe.
27
94593
2000
01:48
And our safety is intertwined.
28
96899
2000
01:51
And that we know,
in order to have great relationships
in order to have great relationships
29
99590
2548
01:54
and relationships built on trust,
30
102162
2586
01:56
that we're going to have
to have communication.
to have communication.
31
104772
2426
01:59
And in this advent and this text
of the world that we've got going on,
of the world that we've got going on,
32
107657
5333
02:05
trying to do this with social media,
33
113014
2269
02:07
it's a very difficult thing to do.
34
115307
2267
02:10
We also have to examine
our current policing practices,
our current policing practices,
35
118464
3273
02:13
and we have to set those things aside
that no longer serve us.
that no longer serve us.
36
121761
3108
02:16
So, in New York, that meant
"stop, question and frisk."
"stop, question and frisk."
37
124893
2572
02:19
That meant really holding up
the numbers as opposed to relationships.
the numbers as opposed to relationships.
38
127934
5032
02:25
And it really didn't allow
the officers the opportunity
the officers the opportunity
39
133673
2811
02:28
to get to know the community
in which they serve.
in which they serve.
40
136508
3653
02:32
But you see, there is a better way.
41
140704
2738
02:35
And we know -- it's called coproduction.
42
143996
2600
02:39
So in the 1970s, Elinor Ostrom
came up with this theory,
came up with this theory,
43
147702
3857
02:43
really called coproduction,
and this is how it works.
and this is how it works.
44
151583
2677
02:46
You bring people into the space
that come with separate expertise,
that come with separate expertise,
45
154696
4183
02:50
and you also come with new ideas
and lived experience,
and lived experience,
46
158903
4053
02:54
and you produce a new knowledge.
47
162980
2387
02:57
And when you produce that new knowledge,
48
165391
2160
02:59
and you apply this theory
to public safety,
to public safety,
49
167575
2849
03:02
you produce a new type of public safety.
50
170448
2667
03:05
And so, in New York, it feels like this.
51
173657
4231
03:10
It is called building relationships,
literally one block at a time.
literally one block at a time.
52
178291
5441
03:16
And it's "Build the Block."
53
184293
1445
03:17
So this is how it works.
54
185762
1738
03:19
You go to buildtheblock.nyc,
you put in your address.
you put in your address.
55
187524
4078
03:23
And up pops location, date and time
of your neighborhood meeting.
of your neighborhood meeting.
56
191974
3980
03:29
The important part of this
is you've got to go to the meeting.
is you've got to go to the meeting.
57
197378
3032
03:32
And once you go to that meeting,
58
200434
2127
03:34
there, of course, will be NYPD,
59
202585
2571
03:37
along with officers
and other community members.
and other community members.
60
205180
3267
03:41
What's important about bringing, now,
the lived experience into this space
the lived experience into this space
61
209062
3474
03:44
to produce new knowledge
62
212560
1752
03:46
is that we have to have
a new way of delivering it.
a new way of delivering it.
63
214336
2444
03:49
So the new way of delivering it
64
217217
1590
03:50
is through what we call neighborhood
coordinating officers, or NCOs.
coordinating officers, or NCOs.
65
218831
3849
03:55
And so, also in this meeting are the NCOs,
66
223196
3429
03:58
the what we call 911 response cars,
67
226649
2912
04:01
sector cars, detectives,
68
229585
2905
04:04
all of us working together
to collaborate in this new way
to collaborate in this new way
69
232514
3455
04:07
to reduce crime.
70
235993
1650
04:10
And what's interesting about this
is that we know that it works.
is that we know that it works.
71
238707
4039
04:14
So, for example, in Washington Heights.
72
242770
2418
04:17
At a community meeting, there was a bar,
up in Washington Heights,
up in Washington Heights,
73
245212
3111
04:20
and the neighbors were complaining
about outcry and noises.
about outcry and noises.
74
248347
2944
04:23
So in their conversations with their NCO,
75
251315
3095
04:26
they talked about, you know,
sound barriers,
sound barriers,
76
254434
2326
04:28
different ways to sort of approach this.
77
256784
2132
04:31
Is there a different way
we can direct traffic?
we can direct traffic?
78
259235
2207
04:33
And of course now they have
relatively quieter bar nights.
relatively quieter bar nights.
79
261466
3934
04:37
So, another issue that always
comes up in neighborhoods is speeding.
comes up in neighborhoods is speeding.
80
265966
3524
04:41
How many of you in here
have ever had a speeding ticket?
have ever had a speeding ticket?
81
269514
2649
04:44
Raise your hand.
82
272187
1152
04:45
Oh, higher, come on!
83
273363
1142
04:46
There's more than that, this is New York.
84
274529
2145
04:48
So those are other issues
that brought to the NCO.
that brought to the NCO.
85
276698
2794
04:51
Speeding -- what the NCOs do
86
279516
1764
04:53
is they collaborate
with the Department of Transportation,
with the Department of Transportation,
87
281304
2735
04:56
they look at issues such as speed bumps
and signage and all types of things.
and signage and all types of things.
88
284063
4580
05:00
And when we come together to create
this different type of policing,
this different type of policing,
89
288667
3754
05:04
it also feels different.
90
292445
2079
05:07
The coproduction
of public safety also means
of public safety also means
91
295818
2425
05:10
that officers need to understand
92
298267
1826
05:12
the history and the power
of their uniforms.
of their uniforms.
93
300117
2818
05:15
They're going to have to set aside
old historical narratives
old historical narratives
94
303458
2818
05:18
that do not serve them well.
95
306290
1565
05:20
And that means they have to learn
about implicit bias.
about implicit bias.
96
308220
2658
05:23
Implicit biases are shortcuts
the brain makes
the brain makes
97
311204
2938
05:26
without us really knowing it.
98
314166
1737
05:27
They're stereotypes
that often influence our decision making.
that often influence our decision making.
99
315927
3840
05:32
And so, you can imagine,
100
320434
1237
05:33
for police officers who have to make
split-second decisions
split-second decisions
101
321695
3366
05:37
can be a very detrimental
decision-making point.
decision-making point.
102
325085
3267
05:41
That's why the NYPD, along with other
departments throughout the United States,
departments throughout the United States,
103
329147
4738
05:45
are training all of their officers
in implicit bias.
in implicit bias.
104
333909
3027
05:49
They have to understand
that learning about their implicit biases,
that learning about their implicit biases,
105
337472
5056
05:54
having good training, tactics
and deescalation
and deescalation
106
342552
4159
05:58
and understanding how it impacts
your decision making
your decision making
107
346735
3175
06:01
makes us all safer.
108
349934
1579
06:04
We also know how officers
are treated inside the organization
are treated inside the organization
109
352958
3429
06:08
impacts how they're going to behave
with the community at large.
with the community at large.
110
356411
3476
06:12
This is critical.
111
360212
1150
06:13
Especially if you want to have
a new way forward.
a new way forward.
112
361839
2546
06:17
And we know that we have to care
for those folks that are on the frontline.
for those folks that are on the frontline.
113
365291
4081
06:21
And they have to recognize
their own trauma.
their own trauma.
114
369973
2603
06:24
And in order to do that,
us as leaders have to lift them up
us as leaders have to lift them up
115
372997
3758
06:28
and let them know that the narratives
of being strong men and women --
of being strong men and women --
116
376779
3294
06:32
you can set those aside,
and it's OK to say you need help.
and it's OK to say you need help.
117
380097
3064
06:35
And we do that by providing peer support,
118
383652
2584
06:38
employee assistance,
mental health services.
mental health services.
119
386260
3023
06:41
We make sure all
of those things are in place,
of those things are in place,
120
389307
2218
06:43
because without it --
121
391549
1393
06:44
it's a critical component
to the coproduction of public safety.
to the coproduction of public safety.
122
392966
3795
06:49
Equally as important
is that we also have social issues
is that we also have social issues
123
397704
2929
06:52
that are often laid at the feet
of law enforcement.
of law enforcement.
124
400657
2968
06:55
So, for example,
mental health and education.
mental health and education.
125
403649
3141
06:59
Historically, we've been
pulled into those spaces
pulled into those spaces
126
407763
2754
07:02
where we have not necessarily
provided public safety
provided public safety
127
410541
3746
07:06
but have enforced long, historical
legislative racial desegregation.
legislative racial desegregation.
128
414311
5153
07:13
We have to own our part in history.
129
421069
3098
07:16
But we also have to have
those folks at the table
those folks at the table
130
424672
2857
07:19
when we're talking about
how do we move forward with coproduction.
how do we move forward with coproduction.
131
427553
3561
07:24
But understanding this,
132
432297
1644
07:25
we also have to understand
that we need to have voices come to us
that we need to have voices come to us
133
433965
4817
07:30
in a different way.
134
438806
1150
07:32
We also have to recognize
135
440998
1644
07:34
that the community
may not be willing or ready
may not be willing or ready
136
442666
3260
07:37
to come to the table
to have the conversation.
to have the conversation.
137
445950
3008
07:40
And that's OK.
138
448982
1150
07:42
We have to be able to accept that.
139
450498
2031
07:45
By acknowledging it, it also means
that we care for the community's health
that we care for the community's health
140
453252
3479
07:48
and for their resiliency as well.
141
456755
2107
07:50
That's another key component.
142
458886
1933
07:53
We also have to acknowledge
143
461633
1350
07:55
that there are those folks
that are in our community that are here --
that are in our community that are here --
144
463007
3245
07:58
they do want to do us harm.
145
466276
1331
08:00
We also have to recognize
that we have community members
that we have community members
146
468419
3080
08:03
who did not get the benefits
of a long-ago dream.
of a long-ago dream.
147
471523
4209
08:09
We also have to acknowledge
148
477180
1691
08:10
that we have put faith in a system
that sometimes is broken,
that sometimes is broken,
149
478895
3298
08:14
hoping that it would give us
solutions for better.
solutions for better.
150
482217
2916
08:18
But we cannot walk away.
151
486486
2079
08:21
Because there is a better way.
152
489177
2000
08:24
And we know this because the NYPD's
neighborhood policing philosophy
neighborhood policing philosophy
153
492101
5001
08:29
is grounded in the coproduction
of public safety.
of public safety.
154
497126
3325
08:33
And in order for us
to move forward together,
to move forward together,
155
501554
2507
08:36
with our family, our friends
and for our health,
and for our health,
156
504085
3818
08:39
we have to make sure
that we focus this way.
that we focus this way.
157
507927
3000
08:43
And in order to do that,
158
511617
1555
08:45
there are three fundamental ideologies
that we must all agree to.
that we must all agree to.
159
513196
4730
08:49
Are you ready?
160
517950
1150
08:51
Oh, I'm sorry, one more time --
are you ready?
are you ready?
161
519679
2168
08:53
Audience: Yes!
162
521871
1181
08:55
Tracie Keesee:
Now, that's better, alright.
Now, that's better, alright.
163
523076
2009
08:57
The first one: There's no more
wallowing in the why.
wallowing in the why.
164
525109
3097
09:00
We know why.
165
528982
1793
09:04
We must move forward together.
There's no more us versus them.
There's no more us versus them.
166
532244
3199
09:08
Number two:
167
536819
1150
09:10
We must embrace the lived experience
and our histories,
and our histories,
168
538811
5135
09:15
and we must make sure we never go back
to a place where we cannot move forward.
to a place where we cannot move forward.
169
543970
4828
09:21
And number three:
170
549820
1150
09:23
We must also make sure
171
551955
2325
09:26
that truth and telling facts is painful.
172
554304
5182
09:32
But we also know that no action
is no longer acceptable.
is no longer acceptable.
173
560480
4770
09:37
And agree?
174
565274
1150
09:38
Audience: Yes.
175
566836
1151
09:40
TK: Oh, I'm sorry, I can't hear you,
do you agree?
do you agree?
176
568011
2352
09:42
Audience: Yes!
177
570387
1150
09:43
TK: So we do know there is a better way.
178
571561
1921
09:45
And the better way
is the coproduction of public safety.
is the coproduction of public safety.
179
573506
3157
09:49
Thank you.
180
577101
1166
09:50
(Applause)
181
578291
4322
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Tracie Keesee - Law enforcement professionalDr. Tracie Keesee is committed to making the New York Police Department the most diverse and inclusive police department in the world.
Why you should listen
Before joining the NYPD as the Deputy Commissioner of Equity and Inclusion, Dr. Tracie L. Keesee served as the Project Director of the National Initiative for Building Community Trust and Justice. In her current role, she strives to improve communication and collaboration between local police officers and community residents. Keesee also co-founded the Center for Policing Equity and is a 25-year police veteran.
Tracie Keesee | Speaker | TED.com