This week on the Huskie Conversation Cafe, your host J Pappas (they/them) is joined by NIU Police Department officer Andrew Sotomayor (he/him).

J and Andrew discuss ways to challenge bias in police, how a legacy of police brutality creates generational trauma, and alternative models of engagement with civilians that are more aligned with the values of protecting and serving. They reference chapters 13, 17, and 18 in today’s episode.

Debrief Questions
What are your reactions to Trevor’s experiences with the police in his community?
Do you see any parallels between South African and American law enforcement strategies? Why or why not?
What alternative models to traditional law enforcement do you think may be successful?
In what ways can we make an impact in our local law enforcement against racism, violence, and oppression?

Episode Sources
https://media.africaportal.org/documents/paper42.pdf
Mengistu, Berhanu; Pindur, Wolfgang; and Leibold, Marius (2000) "Crime and Community Policing in South Africa,"African Social Science Review: Vol. 1 : Iss. 1 , Article 2. Available at: https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/assr/vol1/iss1/2

Continue Engaging!
Find Andrew and his colleagues here: https://www.niu.edu/publicsafety/index.shtml
Find other programming from Academic Diversity Equity, and Inclusion here: https://calendar.niu.edu/department/academic_diversity_equity_and_inclusion
Register for a CODE workshop here: https://www.niu.edu/diversity/education-training/code-workshops/index.shtml

Music:
Many thanks to Kevin MacLeod for the use of his music as the intro and outro of this podcast.
Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5025-beauty-flow
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/