--- title: "Safety Zone: Cops Talk" type: "pdf" year: "2001" canonical: "/projects/1012" --- # SAFETY ZONE: COPS TALK # Table of Contents - [SAFETY ZONE: COPS TALK](#safety-zone-cops-talk) - [Summary](#summary) - [Scanning](#scanning) - [Analysis](#analysis) - [Response](#response) - [Assessment:](#assessment) - [Conclusion](#conclusion) - [SAFETY ZONE: COPS TALK](#safety-zone-cops-talk) - [Scanning:](#scanning) - [Nature of the problem:](#nature-of-the-problem) - [How was the problem identified:](#how-was-the-problem-identified) - [Who identified the problem:](#who-identified-the-problem) - [How and why was this problem selected:](#how-and-why-was-this-problem-selected) - [Specific Unit of Analysis](#specific-unit-of-analysis) - [Analysis:](#analysis) - [History: How often and for how long was it a problem:](#history-how-often-and-for-how-long-was-it-a-problem) - [Open community discussion about the problem:](#open-community-discussion-about-the-problem) - [Response:](#response) - [Intended accomplishments/goals and objectives:](#intended-accomplishmentsgoals-and-objectives) - [Steps taken prior to implementation:](#steps-taken-prior-to-implementation) - [Assessment:](#assessment) - [Student Survey:](#student-survey) - [Agency and Officer Information:](#agency-and-officer-information) ## Summary ## Scanning People with developmental disabilities are more vulnerable to situations where they are victims, witnesses or accomplices to crimes and they may not know how or what to communicate to officers. The Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services Division (MCDSD) suspects that many crimes against people with cognitive impairments go unreported because of lack of knowledge by the victim and/or direct service provider about the justice system In 1996, the MCDSD program received 860 reports alleging abuse or neglect of clients. Of the allegations 222 were substantiated, 19 partially substantiated, 278 disproved and 231 inconclusive. They suspected that many crimes against people with cognitive impairments go unreported because of lack of knowledge by the victim and/or care taker about the criminal justice system. In 1997 The Arc of the United States (formerly known as the Association of Retarded Citizens) estimated that three percent of the population had a developmental disability. Applied to the City of Portland, this number indicates 15,000 of Portland's citizens are developmentally disabled. Many live independently or rely on support from Supplemental Security Income, that may put them in housing markets in economically impoverished and high crime areas of the city Programs to reduce crime and victimization among people with developmental disabilities, is an important part of reducing crime and the fear of crime in our community. There was no program in the United States that connected the developmentally disabled community and the policing community. The Portland Police Bureau (PPB) and community partners found that the issues of public safety and police awareness were not being covered by a social service network. ## Analysis The Bureau concentrated on analysis of adults with developmental disabilities. PPB personnel and community partners were involved in curriculum development, evaluation and as information providers. These partners included service providers for the developmentally disabled and consumers. The partners recognized the vulnerability of the developmentally disabled population to crime. PPB acknowledged the problem and recognized that training was needed for officers on issues revolving around people with developmental disabilities and appropriate police response to situations involving this population. Information was gathered from: + Open community discussions about the problem using the Developmental Disability Advisory Committee. + Statistical reports from MCDSD that supported allegations of abuse and neglect of clients by caregivers. - The Arc of Multnomah County regarding the vulnerability of people with developmental disabilities out in the community and within the criminal justice system. # Response 1. The Developmental Disability Advisory Committee (DDAC) to the Chief of Police was formed in 1993. Members included Portland Police Bureau personnel and representatives from community agencies who work with people with developmental disabilities. 2. Implementation of an officer's training curriculum in 1994. 3. Disability Alert Registration program was implemented in 1996. 4. Application was submitted and discretionary grant funds were awarded from the Bureau of Justice Assistance in 1997. 5. Safety Zone: Cops Talk training curriculum was developed in partnership with agencies and caregivers that work with people with developmental disabilities in 1998. 6. Uniformed police officer selected as lead trainer along with a non-sworn co-instructor. 7. Taping and editing of seven video scenarios using members of the community whom have developmental disabilities. 8. Portland Police bureau advertised the program though MCDD and The Arc of Multnomah County. 9. 122 Safety Zone: Cops Talk classes were conducted reaching approximately 520 students over a 6 -month period. ## Assessment: The following was used to measure the success of the Safety Zone: Cops Talk program: - Care Provider Survey: In the Care Provider Survey conducted between August 1998 and February 1999, providers were asked if they had observed any changes in behavior of their students since the Safety Zone classes were presented. Of the 41 providers contacted, seventy six percent had observed students talking about safety as a result of the class; seventy three percent indicated that their students had been in situations where they would use skills discussed in class; twenty four percent knew of specific incidents where the student applied information learned from the class and all of the providers responded that the reaction of the students to the class was positive. - Student Survey: Ninety eight percent of the students surveyed for the first interview and one hundred percent of the students surveyed for the second interview gave appropriate responses to the question, "What would you do if you were on the bus and someone was bothering you?" From the interviews, most students knew a safe response of what to do when someone was bothering them. Student survey responses conducted between August 1998 and February 1999, reflect the lessons learned in the training. # Conclusion Portland Police Bureau and the community continue to recognize the value of this program based upon actual observations of safety techniques and attitudes displayed by the participants of the Safety Zone: Cops Talk. There is also an increased awareness among Portland Police Bureau officers of the sensitivity issues with this population. The Portland Police Bureau strives to continue offering an excellent and innovative program. This is accomplished through constant training of new officers, and an on-going effort to work with our community partners to improve our curriculum so that it reflects those issues most prevalent to the safety concerns of our community. # SAFETY ZONE: COPS TALK ## Scanning: ## Nature of the problem: In 1997 The Arc of the United States (formerly known as the Association of Retarded Citizens) estimated that three percent of the population had a developmental disability. Applied to the City of Portland, this number indicated 15,000 of Portland's citizens are developmentally disabled. They are more vulnerable to situations where they are victims, accomplices, or witnesses to crimes. Many live independently or rely on support from Supplemental Security Income, that may put them in housing markets in economically impoverished and high crime areas of the city. The Multnomah County Developmental Disability program suspects that many crimes against people with cognitive impairments go unreported because of lack of knowledge by the victim and/or direct service provider about the justice system. The key issue for this population is that they are vulnerable to crime and may not know how or what to communicate to officers. ## How was the problem identified: The Portland Police Bureau recognized that officers do not always know about the characteristics of disabling conditions and that they were not trained in how to handle a situation where persons with disabilities were involved. It was simultaneously recognized that people with developmental disabilities (DD) are vulnerable to situations where they are victims, accomplices or witnesses to crimes. In 1996, the Multnomah County DD program received 860 reports alleging abuse or neglect of clients. Of the allegations 222 were substantiated, 19 partially substantiated, 278 disproved and 231 inconclusive. An example that illustrates where communication may be a problem with people with developmental disabilities is the case of a young man, with the cognitive ability of a five year old, who spent the weekend in jail because he could not communicate with corrections or police officers. What was thought to be noncompliant behavior was in fact a disabling condition. People with developmental disabilities are often victims of crimes because they are eager for friendship and do not have the judgement to determine whether a situation or person is dangerous. Because of their vulnerability, they can also be more easily manipulated into participating in criminal activities. ## Who identified the problem: Our Bureau's work in developing services to better meet the safety needs of adults with developmental disabilities dates back to 1993, when the Chief of Police met with a group of family members and service providers to discuss the treatment of people with developmental disabilities by law enforcement. The Arc of Multnomah County was able to provide population statistics and risk factors on persons with developmental disabilities and the Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services Division provided statistics on reported abuse and neglect of people with developmental disabilities. This helped the bureau to identify that there actually was a problem and that a significant portion of our community was effected by it. ## How and why was this problem selected: Programs to reduce crime and victimization among people with developmental disabilities is an important part of reducing crime and the fear of crime in our community. There was no program in the United States that connected the developmentally disabled community and the policing community. The Portland Police Bureau and its community partners found that issues of public safety and police awareness of people with developmental disabilities were not being covered by the social service network. It was only through this community partnership that we were able to reach this population that was very unlikely to be at neighborhood or business association meetings. The Arc of the United States, an advocacy group for people with mental retardation, estimates that three percent of the population has a developmental disability. They are vulnerable to situations where they are victims, accomplices, or witnesses to crimes. Developmentally disabled adults may not have a good understanding about how to answer questions asked by an officer and may give inaccurate information in order to please an authority figure. This inaccurate information may impede an investigation or implicate an innocent person. Often the justice system has inadequate resources to assist this group whether they are offenders or victims (Guidry Tyiska, 1998) ${ }^{7}$ Providing them and their caregivers with personal safety training and an awareness of police services will assist these individuals by reducing their incidences of involvement in the justice system. # Specific Unit of Analysis The Portland Police Bureau concentrated on analysis of adults with developmental disabilities based on the assumption that they have the capacity to understand, retain and apply lessons about personal safety. The Multnomah County Developmental Disability (DD) program defines a developmental disability as IQ below 69, with onset before age 18 and is a life-long condition. We wanted to analyze if they were more vulnerable to crime either as victims, witnesses or accomplices, and if so why. ## Analysis: Methods data and informational sources used to analyze the problem: - Information from The Arc of Multnomah County - Survey of participants + Survey of Staff - Observations ## History: How often and for how long was it a problem: It is difficult to assess when this first became a problem, but it was first identified by Portland Police Bureau as a target area for improvement in 1993. Crime prevention programs that emphasize education as a prevention tool for crime have historically served non-disabled community members in outreach efforts. In addition, direct care providers for people with developmental disabilities may not recognize crimes against those they care for. This is due in part to the lack of education about crimes against this population and knowledge about victim rights. Who was involved in the problem: Police officers, non-sworn bureau members, service providers for people with DD, and other community partners were involved with identifying the problem and coming up with methods of resolution. People with developmental disabilities were involved in the problem as offenders, victims, witnesses, and as our study group participants. Most of them were encouraged to participate in the classes that were set up by their group home care providers or by their career counselor. [^0] [^0]: Guidry Tyiska, C., Working with Victims of Crime with Disabilities. U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office for Victims of Crime, OVC Bulletin, September, 1998. What harms resulted from the problem: During 1996 Multnomah county DD program received 860 reports about possible abuse or neglect of clients. An incident report was filed for each case that documented the allegation. Of the allegations 222 were substantiated, 19 partially substantiated, 278 disproved, and 231 contained inconclusive evidence. In addition people with developmental disabilities have been incarcerated and even killed by police officers due to a lack of knowledge of how to cooperate with the police. Police officers also didn't have training or knowledge of how to recognize various behavioral signs of people with disabilities so that they could interact with them effectively. This has caused not only deaths and undue stress to both parties, but studies have proven this to be a factor of why people with developmental disabilities are hesitant to seek help from the police when they need it. How was the problem previously addressed: Prior to Safety Zone: Cops Talk, approximately 3,000 people with developmental disabilities were receiving some type of support service, while an estimated 12,000 were not being served. Multnomah County DD program case managers provided residential and vocational services but no services for crime prevention were offered. The Portland Police Bureau has recognized that officers do not always know about the characteristics of disabling conditions. A partnership between the Multnomah County Developmental Disability Program, The Arc of Multnomah County, and the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office resulted in a training session provided to all 1,200 sworn and 300 nonsworn staff of the Portland Police Bureau and neighboring agencies during the 1994-95 inservice training year. The intent was to educate them about the issues that affect this population, and increase officer's skills in interviewing and intervention techniques. Since December 1995, the Multnomah County DD program has only had one incident report filed on behalf of a client where a police officer was involved. The Portland Police Bureau initiated a registration program that would assist officers to help community members who are not able to communicate their needs. The Disability Alert Registration (DAR) program is a voluntary program that provides a system for a person with disabilities, or their legal guardian to provide the Portland Police Bureau with information about a person's disabling condition, communication ability and intervention techniques that can be used with the registered person. This information is entered into the Police Bureau's computerized database and made available to patrol officers. The Disability Alert Registration program has helped officers return elderly and disabled people to their homes, helped officers make an arrest in a domestic violence situation in which the victim was registered with the program, and provided officers with information on communication techniques. The Portland Police Bureau also has a WomenStrength program that is a self-defense/personal safety education program. Although designed for women, the curriculum has been modified when special needs groups have requested training. The modified curriculum has been taught to community members with developmental disabilities. # Open community discussion about the problem: The Developmental Disability Advisory Group, formed in 1993, is an advisory committee to the Chief of Police. Members include representatives from the Multnomah County Developmental Disability Program, Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, Rainbow Adult Living Program, United Cerebral Palsy Association, The Arc of Multnomah, Independent Living Resources, Community Partnerships (a state advocacy program), Metropolitan Human Rights Center's Disability Coordinator and police officers. This group advocates for and serves as a liaison between people with developmental disabilities and the police. The members, representing programs and services for people with disabilities, acted in an advisory capacity in the development and implementation of the curriculum and assisted in the evaluation component of the project. # Response: What range of response alternatives were considered to deal with the problem: The Portland Police Bureau formed a multi-agency partnership that included the Multnomah County DD Program, The Arc of Multnomah County, and the District Attorney's Office. Since that time much has been accomplished: - In 1993 Portland Police Bureau established the Developmental Disabilities Advisory Group to the Chief of Police, that meets regularly to discuss issues of concern and propose solutions. - In 1994, a training program was implemented for all police personnel on how to help people with developmental disabilities and how to help people with chronic mental illness. - A voluntary registration program, called Disability Alert Registration (DAR), was established, in 1996, for people who have a disability that limits their ability to communicate during a crisis. The DAR program alerts officers to their special needs and communication techniques. - The Police Bureau's WomenStrength program provides personal safety training to women in the metro area. The training curriculum has been modified and taught to people with disabilities, however, resources are not available to do this on a systematic basis. These other alternatives are actually an effective part of dealing with the problem. In addition, the Multnomah County Developmental Disability Program and The Arc of Multnomah County case management staff have intervened on behalf of clients who have entered the criminal justice system. Previous to Safety Zone: Cops Talk, an effort to educate people with developmental disabilities in order to prevent them from entering the justice system had not been explored. Efforts had been on a case-by-case or crisis basis. What evaluation criteria were most important to the department prior to implementation: Several criteria were evaluated prior to implementing the Safety Zone: Cops Talk program as well as the other response alternatives. The cost and availability of monetary and personnel resources were considered in terms of potential effectiveness, community values, and bureau goals. The basic question of how this would affect the offender, the victim and the allocation of resources had to be considered. The following criteria were evaluated prior to establishing this program: - Cooperation from outside agencies to help us reach clients - People with developmental disabilities changes in attitude toward the police - Changes in behavior/use of skills on the part of class participants - Reaction to the class by participants and staff/care-providers - Staff/care-provider follow-up . Availability of officers and non-sworn as instructors - Availability of monetary resources to provide class material - Support and interest from outside agencies who work with people with developmental disabilities # Intended accomplishments/goals and objectives: One of our goals was to build on current partnership efforts. As previously mentioned, the Portland Police Bureau, in partnership with several agencies in Portland, provided training sessions to educate officers about people with developmental disabilities. It also has developed an accessible database of information that assists officers in serving individuals and provides very limited personal safety training to special populations. The Portland Police Bureau has developed Safety Zone: Cops Talk to educate people with developmental disabilities about the criminal justice system with the goal to minimize the potential of this group to become victims and/or offenders. The program includes a comprehensive curriculum to educate people with developmental disabilities and their direct care workers about all aspects of the criminal justice system, including personal safety, being a witness and intervention techniques for staff. The intention is to create a prevention/intervention model of education for this group so that their involvement in the criminal justice system can be minimized. Preventing crimes committed against people with developmental disabilities is another goal. Crime prevention programs that emphasize education as a preventative tool for crime have historically served non-disabled community members in outreach efforts. In addition, direct care providers for people with developmental disabilities may not recognize crimes against those they care for. This is due, in part, to the lack of education about crimes against this population and knowledge about victim rights. Intervention on the behalf of those who are developmentally disabled is also a goal of the Safety Zone: Cops Talk program. The Multnomah County Developmental Disability Program and the Arc of Multnomah case management staff have intervened on behalf of clients who have entered the criminal justice system. However, an effort to educate people with disabilities in order to prevent them from entering the system has not been previously undertaken. Efforts had been on a case-by-case or crisis basis. Another goal of this program is to prevent people with developmental disabilities from entering the justice system. Efforts in the past have been made to identify, accommodate or assist after a person has entered the system and has not been proactive to prevent crime. The Portland Police Bureau worked with partnering agencies to develop an educational crime prevention program for this target group. The program reduces the risk of victimization by teaching participants to recognize safe and unsafe situations, and providing them with the knowledge and skills to deal with these situations. Safety Zone: Cops Talk also increases caregiver's awareness and knowledge of the criminal justice system and victims' rights. This training encompasses the following: - Personalsafety: Being aware of your surroundings on the street to avoid being victimized, common techniques and scams used by criminals, self-defense strategies, home security techniques, and safety when using public transportation. - Police services awareness: How police officers can help, when to know if you have been victimized, what actions are actually criminal activities, how to report crimes, how to be an accurate witness or offer factual information as a victim. In addition, case managers and staffs from residential and vocational programs who attend this training gain the following: - Safety for adults with disabilities: Techniques for reinforcing personal safety messages to people with various disabilities and functioning levels. - Police and other services awareness: Services available through police or other agencies, what actions are criminal activities, how to report crimes, how to be a good witness or help clients offer good information as a victim or witness. A police officer and a non-sworn co-instructor train the participants on-site. The officer arrives in uniform and along with the non-sworn co-instructor delivers the training in a variety of settings to include vocational, residential and educational settings. The officer is a critical component in the delivery of the curriculum. Often, it is the first "real life" experience many people with a developmental disability have to talk with an officer or the first experience outside of a victim or offender situation. It is believed that the crime prevention message is reinforced with the presence of an uniformed officer. The non-sworn component is also important, particularly in the role-play scenarios. By performing the role of the "bad guy", the non-sworn helps participants to establish a trustful rapport with the uniformed officer. Resources available to help solve the problem: Monetary: The project development and test phase was supported by Grant \#197-DD-BX-0070 awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, Department of Justice. Continued Resource Allocation: - Portland Police Bureau Personnel: Currently there are three officers, one sergeant and two non-sworn involved in service delivery. - Partners: The Arc of Multnomah County, Community Partnerships, Community Vision, Independent Living Resources, Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services Division, Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, PHAME Academy of Fine Arts, Rainbow Adult Living Facilities, United Cerebral Palsy Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington, were involved in curriculum development, evaluation, and as information providers. # Steps taken prior to implementation: - PPB met w/community partners - Problem identified - DDAC Formed in 1993 - New Officer Training implemented 1994-1995 - Disability Alert Registration program was implemented - Proposal written - Application for B JA Grant - Safety Zone Test and Evaluation Phase Who was involved in the response to the problem: Along with Portland Police Bureau personnel, community partners were involved in curriculum development, evaluation and as information providers. These partners included service providers and consumers from the following agencies: The Arc of Multnomah County, Community Partnerships, Community Vision, Independent Living Resources, Multnomah County Developmental Disabilities Services Division, Multnomah County District Attorney's Office, PHAME Academy of Fine Arts, Rainbow Adult Living Facilities, United Cerebral Palsy Association of Oregon and Southwest Washington. During the curriculum development phase, Developmental Disability Advisory Committee members expressed interest in producing a video that would be a training aid for the classes. Pacific Handicapped Artists, Musicians, and Entertainers (PHAME) Academy of Fine Arts graciously and enthusiastically agreed to participate resulting in the taping and editing of seven short scenarios that are used to enhance the Iesson plans. The scenarios feature actors, who have developmental disabilities, who are exposed to various types of potential victimization and demonstrate an appropriate response to avoid or minimize the victimization. The scenes are rehearsed prior to taping and the actors are aware that the perpetrators are acting and in these role-playing scenarios, no one is going to get hurt. # Assessment: Methods of evaluation, results and conclusions: The project evaluation component was designed to include interviews or surveys with students and staff about the training. A process evaluation was conducted and case studies were evaluated. In the Care Provider Survey, providers were asked if they had observed any changes in behavior of their students since the Safety Zone: Cops Talk classes were presented. Of the 41 providers contacted: - 31 of $41(76 \%)$ said they had observed changes in the behavior of their students as a result of the class. Most behaviors were of students talking of safety and the class. - 30 of $41(73 \%)$ indicated that their students had been in situations where they would use skills discussed in class. - 10 of the $41(24 \%)$ knew of specific incidents where the student applied information learned from the class. - All of the providers responded that the reaction of the students to the class was positive. ## Student Survey: In the student survey, the same question was asked of the same students on two different occasions. A typical survey question was, "What would you do if you were on the bus and someone was bothering you?" Responses to the first interview: - 86 of the 88 students contacted ( $98 \%$ ) gave appropriate responses of how to react if someone was bothering them. * $47(53 \%)$ said they would ignore or move away from someone who was bothering them. - $36(41 \%)$ also said they would get help. These students said they would get help from the police, bus driver, 9-1-1, or a business. - 33 (38\%) said they would tell the person, "Leave me alone!" Responses to the second interview: + All of the 64 students contacted in the second interview (100\%) gave an appropriate response to the question of what they would do if someone were bothering them. - $38(60 \%)$ would ignore or get away from the person bothering them. * $29(45 \%)$ would get help from the police, bus driver, family member, friend, 9-1-1, or a near-by business. - $15(23 \%)$ of the students would said they would say, "Leave me alone!" The video assessment: Based on observations and student feedback, the video is the most effective training tool for several reasons: - Each scenario has two to four scenes lasting only 10 to 30 seconds, which is useful for supporting and initiating discussion. - All of the scenarios feature actors with developmental disabilities. - The scenarios illustrate situations that students encounter. The B JA grant was awarded to assist through the initial development and testing stages of the program. The Portland Police Bureau has continued to support and maintain the Safety Zone: Cops Talk program and has provided three officers, one sergeant and two non-sworn bureau members to conduct classes and market the program. Safety Zone: Cops Talk continues to be evaluated by staff and bureau personnel. Two weeks after each class is taught, the Safety Zone: Caps Talk coordinator contacts the staff and asks if any changes have occurred with the students' attitudes or actions toward safety as a result of attending this class. All of the respondents have observed positive behaviors and students' comments were favorable. Most indicated that they would like another class and several have referred other agencies to us. Many outside agencies have observed or heard about the positive outcomes of the Safety Zone: Cops Talk program and have requested a copy of the curriculum and video. We have also received several requests to train other bureaus and agencies on starting up programs in their communities. As we continue to assess the value of this program to the community we hope to make the following enhancements to the current curriculum: - A list of residences and agencies serving people with developmental disabilities has been created and we plan to send semi-annual notices out reminding them of the classes we have available. This data can also be placed on a map of the precincts to notify officers of where these populations live and work so that officers can increase security for this population who have been proved to be at a higher risk for crime victimization. - Although the curriculum was written for adults with developmental disabilities, we have supported requests from local high schools' developmental disabilities classes and found the curriculum to be understood and very well received. - Other agencies have adapted our curriculum to be taught by fire-bureau personnel, for which they received an award. - We are planning a "self reporting" evaluation tool so individuals, house managers, or case-workers can identify crime involvement by those who have gone through our program to help determine if the program has been effective in decreasing crime among those individuals. - In light of the fact that Internet technology is available and used by people with developmental disabilities, we would like to incorporate lessons on Internet safety to enhance the curriculum (chat rooms, credit cards fraud, etc.). From the initial evaluation tool, $98 \%$ of the students surveyed for the first interview and $100 \%$ of the students surveyed for the second interview gave appropriate responses to the question, "What would you do if you were on the bus and someone was bothering you?" From the interviews, most students knew a safe response of what to do when someone was bothering them. Student survey responses reflect the lessons learned in the training. Portland Police Bureau recognizes the value of the project for people with developmental disabilities, and continues to teach and evaluate classes and to conduct outreach to the community. As personnel changes take place, Portland Police bureau continues to train new officers and co-instructors to teach the program. Marketing efforts are conducted through Portland Police Bureau and agency/service provider newsletters, and, most effectively, through word of mouth referrals. This is not a lesson to be taught just once and not repeated. The value of this effort comes from continual repetition and reinforcement of the lessons taught. This reinforcement can be from additional classes or, more importantly, through continued emphasis from staff and care takers. # Agency and Officer Information: The problem solving initiative was adopted at all levels of the bureau. All officers and non-sworn personnel receive training on understanding and handling people with developmental disabilities. One sergeant, three officers, and two non-sworn formed a committee to decide upon marketing and teaching approaches. Officers and non-sworn bureau members practiced presenting the lessons in front of the committee prior to becoming Safety Zone: Cops Talk instructors. In addition all bureau members are informed about the program and encouraged to make referrals for persons that could benefit from the program. We are able to expand our program to reach other communities by sharing copies of our Safety Zone: Cops Talk curriculum and video with law enforcement agencies throughout the United States and abroad. This is the only program in the United States that connects the developmentally disabled community with the policing community. We have received many requests to teach the curriculum to developmentally disabled people in other communities. Our bureau has discussed training officers at each of the precincts as Safety Zone: Cops Talk instructors. This would enhance the existing program in three ways: - It would expand the ability of the bureau to respond to requests for classes. - Officers would be able to form a relationship of trust among those with developmental disabilities in their precincts. - Officers would be able to identify problem areas so that we could market the program more effectively to those who need it. What we do know is that the following components of the problem-oriented policing model are positively effected by this program: - Victims: People with disabilities are receiving knowledge and practicing skills that reduce their chances of becoming a victim of crime. - Offenders: Offenders with developmental disabilities, who may not have previously construed their criminal behavior as wrong, harmful or illegal, are learning right from wrong and learning how to cooperate with the police. As an example, one Safety Zone: Cops Talk participant told the class instructors that he frequently bought beer and cigarettes for his friends who are minors. He didn't understand why that was considered to be a criminal act nor had he previously recognized that he was being victimized by their requests. - Allocation of resources: - Officers and non-sworn personnel are allocated to the program. - The bureau provides copies of the curriculum to outside community policing agencies. Outside law enforcement agencies have asked the PPB to train their officers on how to work with people with developmental disabilities. - Our expertise comes from the partnerships we have formed with the professional agencies who work, with people who have developmental disabilities, on a daily basis, and who are willing to come to our Officer Training Academies and train them. These agencies train PPB officers on how to recognize various types of disabilities and how to respond to the people who have those disabilities. - Safety Zone: Cops Talk is a remarkable program that, after the initial start-up costs, can be implemented using existing resources. Project Contact Person: Name: $\quad$ Tammie Milkes Position: CommunityRelations Assistant Address: $\quad 1111$ SW Ave. Rm. 1552 City/State Portland, OR. 97204 Phone: (503) 823-0259 Fax: (503) 823-0289 E-mail: $\quad$ tmilkes@police.ci.portland.or.us