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Prosecutor’s office backs Peacekeepers training to bring officers and residents together; board approves $40,000 agreement
Summary
The prosecutor’s office promoted a grant‑funded Peacekeepers International program that trains police officers and community members together on bias and sensitivity; the board approved a $40,000 agreement after extended discussion about selection, curriculum and evaluation plans.
Gerald D. Snagrass II, bureau chief for restorative justice and violence reduction in the prosecutor’s office, urged the board to approve a grant‑funded agreement with Peacekeepers International to deliver bias‑and‑sensitivity training to 100 law‑enforcement officers and 100 community members.
Snagrass said the format would be in‑person and that officers would attend in plain clothes without weapons; Peacekeepers trainers — including a former police chief — would lead eight‑hour sessions that combine officer mental‑health support with community education aimed at rebuilding trust. "We're trying to get citizens and officers in the same room at the same time," Snagrass said.
Commissioners asked how community participants and officers would be selected. Snagrass said community members would be identified through local Peacekeepers leadership and that initial officer participation would start with 25 Flint police officers pledged by Chief Green; the sheriff's office and smaller departments in the county were to be included as outreach continues.
The prosecutor's office said Michigan State University will study outcomes under a separate grant to help evaluate effectiveness. Commissioners also requested to review the training curriculum and asked whether the work had been competitively procured; presenters said the program was proposed as a community partnership and had not been sent out for competitive bids.
After discussion on scope, procurement and evaluation, the board approved the agreement with Peacekeepers International. Staff said they would provide the curriculum and updates on recruitment and evaluation as the program begins.
