The Community Based Public Safety Association (CBPS Association) was created to serve and advocate for CBPS professionals who work as partners with law enforcement to reduce violence in their communities while making residents safer and more engaged.
CBPS Association members are Community Violence Interventionists, High Risk Interventionists, Assertive Outreach Workers, Victim/Survivor Advocates, and Case Managers – and comprise one of the largest movements in the country lead primarily by Black and Brown men. The impact of our collective work in more than 200 cities across the country has produced evidence-based results, reducing violence and crime, saving lives, increasing safety and well-being, improving community police relations and saving billions of dollars nationwide.
There are professional associations advocating for police, sheriffs, troopers, prosecutors, corrections officers, probation officers and more. But, those doing the work of intervening to stop violence on the ground every day are left out of the public safety conversation. Their work results in dramatic reductions in community violence, but they don’t get the recognition – or the pay (not to mention the pension). We are here to change that.
Our members turn to the Association for further connection, advocacy and professional training. Our members work with us to change public policy, the common definition of public safety and public safety funding priorities at all levels. National accreditation standards and organizing are essential to protecting CBPS and maintaining and building the field’s success.