A Path Toward Safe and Equitable Cities: Recommendations from the NLC Reimagining Public Safety Task Force

Municipalities frequently treat public safety as the function of law enforcement alone and must focus on community centered, equitable public safety systems. This brief identifies the importance of engaging diverse stakeholders and leveraging resources to collaboratively address safety issues and provides recommendations. Best practices include increasing the engagement and input of Black, Latinx and Indigenous communities, adopting restorative justice mechanisms as alternatives for dispute and conflict resolution, and a focus on public health.