Re-imagining Public Safety

In the wake of the most recent murders of Black community members by armed officers, students at USF have called for the defunding or dismantling of the Department of Public Safety Department at USF. National concern over state violence against Black bodies is a concern on our own campus. Black students and their allies have called on USF to examine its own practices and to consider a new way of thinking about safety and wellness for our community. What does this mean and what would it look like? 

This project provides race training to officers in the Department of Public Safety as well as a series of forums on race and policing for the entire USF community. The purpose of this project then is to continue the education of DPS as well as the broader USF community so that the campus can remain committed to and engaged with the project of reimagining policing on campus.  

Re-imagining Safety logo

  

Spring 2023 Conclusion of Project

The project overview, timeline and concluding proposal information can be found on the Re-imagining Public Safety Task Force website. 

 

Spring 2022 Events

April 28, 2022 Forum on Diversity in Campus Policing: This campus forum, featuring USF's Debate Team, addressed why diversity in campus policing matters with regard to both safety and social justice.  This forum was funded by the 6 + YOU initiative.  

 

Spring 2021 Events

February 23, 2021 Webinar: On February 23rd, the Jesuit initiative hosted its first public webinar series on race and policing.  The webinar was covered in USF News

April 13, 2021 Webinar: On April 13, 6 + YOU hosted a conversation between Andrea Ritchie and Dean Spade. 

April 27, 2021 Webinar: On April 27, 6 + YOU hosted a conversation among academics whose work focuses on policing and the university. 

 

Connection to the Jesuit Foundation Mission

National concern over state violence against Black bodies is a concern on our own campus. Black students and their allies have called on USF to examine its own practices and to consider a new way of thinking about safety and wellness for our community. This initiative proposes to provide race training to officers in the Department of Public Safety and asks them to use this knowledge and learning to help them more empathetically hear the concerns of the community during open forums. This training will further be applied to the reimagining of their unit.