JCOM 471: PUBLIC RELATIONS STRATEGIC PLANNING SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM AND COMMUNICATION Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community Alexis Stinnett Report Author • School of Journalism and Communications Dean Mundy Associate Professor, Director of Public Relations • School of Journalism and Communications FALL 2024 SALEM POLICE DEPARTMENT Image credit: Salem Police Department Acknowledgments The authors wish to acknowledge and thank the Salem Police Department for making this project possible. Specifically, the author would like to thank the following Salem Police Department staff for their assistance and contributions that were instrumental to the completion of this report.  Trevor Womack, Chief, Salem Police Department Treven Upkes, Deputy Chief, Field Operations Division, Salem Police Department Debra (Debbie) Aguilar, Deputy Chief, Investigations Division, Salem Police Department Courtney Knox Busch, Chief Strategy Officer, City of Salem This report represents original student work and recommendations prepared by students in the University of Oregon’s Sustainable City Year Program for the Salem Police Department. Text and images contained in this report may not be used without permission from the University of Oregon. Contents 4 About SCI 4 About SCYP 5 About Salem Police Department 6 Course Participants 6 Course Description 7 Executive Summary 8 Introduction 9 External Research 14 Recommendations 24 Conclusion 25 References The Sustainable Cities Institute (SCI) is an applied think tank focusing on sustainability and cities through applied research, teaching, and community partnerships. We work across disciplines that match the complexity of cities to address sustainability challenges, from regional planning to building design and from enhancing engagement of diverse communities to understanding the impacts on municipal budgets from disruptive technologies and many issues in between. SCI focuses on sustainability-based research and teaching opportunities through two primary efforts: 1. Our Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP), a massively scaled university- community partnership program that matches the resources of the University with one Oregon community each year to help advance that community’s sustainability goals; and The Sustainable City Year Program (SCYP) is a yearlong partnership between SCI and a partner in Oregon, in which students and faculty in courses from across the university collaborate with a public entity on sustainability and livability projects. SCYP faculty and students work in collaboration with staff from the partner agency through a variety of studio projects and service- learning courses to provide students with real-world projects to investigate. Students bring energy, enthusiasm, and innovative approaches 2. Our Urbanism Next Center, which focuses on how autonomous vehicles, e-commerce, and the sharing economy will impact the form and function of cities. In all cases, we share our expertise and experiences with scholars, policymakers, community leaders, and project partners. We further extend our impact via an annual Expert-in-Residence Program, SCI China visiting scholars program, study abroad course on redesigning cities for people on bicycle, and through our co-leadership of the Educational Partnerships for Innovation in Communities Network (EPIC-N), which is transferring SCYP to universities and communities across the globe. Our work connects student passion, faculty experience, and community needs to produce innovative, tangible solutions for the creation of a sustainable society. to difficult, persistent problems. SCYP’s primary value derives from collaborations that result in on-the-ground impact and expanded conversations for a community ready to transition to a more sustainable and livable future. Community partnerships are possible in part due to support from U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, as well as former Congressman Peter DeFazio, who secured federal funding for SCYP through Congressionally Directed Spending. 4 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community About SCI About SCYP Law enforcement was established in Salem in 1857, two years before Oregon was admitted into the union. Marshals on horseback served the residents of Salem before the city police department was established in 1889. In its 167-year history, the Salem Police Department has greatly expanded its professional services. Today, the agency’s three divisions comprise field operations, investigations, and support with 196 budget authorized officers and 64 nonsworn staff operating round the clock. The department’s mission is to provide superior service to keep Salem safe while enhancing trust. In service of that mission, the department’s ongoing strategic plan focuses its collective efforts on safety, trust, and excellence. The City of Salem is Oregon’s capital city and the second largest with nearly 177,567 residents (2024). A diverse community, Salem has well established neighborhoods, a family-friendly ambiance, and a smalltown feel. Image credit: Salem Police Department 5 About Salem Police Department UNDERGRADUATE PUBLIC RELATIONS STUDENTS Alexis Stinnett, Minors in Legal Studies and Latin American Studies Ally Kirkpatrick, Minor in Sports Business Bella Bastian, Minor in Business Administration Ben Perlman, Minor in Sports Business Catie Cooper, Minor in Business Cheyenne Cooper, Minor in Business Administration Dilynn Morrison, Minor in Sports Business Edel Diaz-Jaime, Minor in Multimedia Elizabeth Weltzien, Minor in Sociology Grace Taylor, Minor in Sports Business Hana Jessup, Minor in Multimedia Julia Miller, Minor in Psychology Juliette Capehart, Minor in Sociology Kai Bumanglag, Minor in Business Kaitlin McKay, Minor in Digital Humanities Karina Zamora Rosales, Minor in Sports Business Kate Kundahl, Minor in Business Administration Kylie Kern, Minor in Spanish Kyra Jackson, Minors in Legal Studies and Psychology Lauren Barlow, Minor in Spanish Max Higgins, Minor in Business Administration Miya Chan, Minors in Sustainable Business and Ethnic Studies Rosie Martin, Minor in Philosophy Taryn Allgower, Environmental Studies, Minor in Science Communication Willow Milchman, Minor in Anthropology JCOM 476/576: STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA This course is open to public relations majors only and focuses on campaign planning, administration, crisis communication, and issues management, encompassing research, writing objectives and tactics, evaluation methods, and constructing budgets and timelines. 6 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community Course Participants Course Description The Public Relations Strategic Planning course at the University of Oregon partnered with the Salem Police Department to develop a campaign to increase trust between the public and the community. While each group focused on distinct publics and created several strategies and tactics, all campaigns shared a common goal: to improve the levels of trust between the department and the community, ultimately reducing violence and negative police interactions. Student groups conducted primary and secondary research about the City of Salem and the Salem Police Department, as well as current attitudes towards the department. Based on this research, teams designed a campaign around specific publics to help the Salem Police Department increase levels of trust in the community. Recommendations to improve trust between the department and the community consisted of hosting town hall meetings, community events, increasing social media presence, working with youth in schools, and mentorship programs. The most common targeted publics consisted of Hispanic males ages 18-25, youth ages 11-18, youth who have had experiences with the juvenile justice system, and non-English speaking residents. Most plans were designed for implementation within six months to a year, with budgets ranging from $0 to $1,250, to include spending resources on promotional activities and staffing hours. Students designed campaigns with the overall goal to support the Salem Police Department in meeting their mission to “provide superior service to keep Salem safe while enhancing trust.” 7 Executive Summary Building trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve is a fundamental goal for any police department, especially among populations that have previously experienced negative police interactions. A primary challenge for the Salem Police Department is establishing an effective mechanism to measure and foster trust within the Salem community, more specifically with Hispanic males ages 18-25 and youth ages 11-18. In response, the department partnered with students from the University of Oregon’s Public Relations Planning class to develop a comprehensive public relations campaign with the goal to increase the trust between the Salem Police Department and the Salem community, focusing on Hispanic males and youth. Student teams designed a series of recommendations to help the Salem Police Department foster trust and effectively measure progress with diverse community groups. Their proposals included extensive research, ensuring they addressed key factors such as budget constraints and realistic timelines. Campaign objectives included: • Engaging three Hispanic community- based organizations with the police department between January 2025 and July 2025. • Holding monthly community meetings with trusted community leaders with attendance doubling over an 18-month period. • Working with five public middle schools between January 2025 and June 2025. • Increasing social media following by 20% on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram between January 2025 and July 2025 based on October 2024 baseline numbers. • Increasing engagement with English as a second language (ESL) residents by 25% through culturally relevant community events and outreach programs by the end of 2025. • Ensuring 100% of the Salem Police Department’s communications materials and safety alerts are available in both English and Spanish by the end of 2025. • Having five youths participate in a mentorship program facilitated by the Police Department by the end of 2025. • Increasing awareness and understanding of police roles and available resources by 25% by the end of 2025. 8 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community Introduction Student groups conducted external research on the Salem Police Department and demographics of the community it serves. Students then applied their research to develop recommendations that support the department’s mission statement and overall goal of building trust with the community. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS The Salem Police Department is working to build and measure community trust within the Hispanic community in northeast Salem. Amid local and national challenges such as police brutality protests, rising violence in the area, and strained relationships, the Salem Police Department is striving to build a trusting relationship with communities that are prone to distrusting police. Despite previous efforts to build this trust, including one-on-one meetings with community leaders and organized community events, violence has increased in Salem. Students conducted secondary research while creating plans to help understand the current context of distrust among communities. To complete this research, students used the Salem Police Department website and information the department provided to the class. Additionally, students researched the basic demographics of the Salem population as well as surveys that outlined distrust among certain communities to create realistic recommendations. The following sections provide further research and suggestions that the department can use and implement to increase levels of trust, leading towards a stronger relationship between the department and the community they protect. 9 External Research ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND The Salem Police Department is currently composed of 184 police officers. Of these officers, 24 are Hispanic, 149 are white, six are Black, four are Asian American Pacific Islander, and one is Native American (Figure 1). Of these officers, 25 identify as women. FIG. 1 Pie Chart of Salem Police Department Demographics 10 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community Based on Salem Police Department’s use of force data for 2023, there are notable racial disparities. Black residents, who represent just 1.5% of Salem’s 177,432 population, accounted for 8% of use- of-force incidents. Similarly, Hispanic residents, comprising 22.8% of the population, were involved in 29% of such cases, with 195 total incidents. The department also reported a doubling of use-of-force cases involving Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander residents to 18 incidents, representing 3% of the total, despite this group making up only 1.6% of the population. According to a survey completed in 2021 that analyzed experiences with the Salem Police Department, 82% of responses were negative. 26% of negative responses were related to “profiling, inequitable service, and harassment.” (Figure 2) As of July 2023, Salem’s demographic composition consists of 65.2% White (non-Hispanic or Latino) residents, 22.8% Hispanic or Latino residents, 12.2% identifying as two or more races, 4% Asian, 2% Black, and 1.6% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. These statistics support the publics chosen by students and highlight how the Salem Police Department is currently perceived by the residents of Salem, underscoring the need to improve their reputation and rebuild trust. FIG. 2 Pie Chart depicting Salem PD Reputation with the public 82% 18% 26% 11 External Research S.W.O.T ANALYSIS A S.W.O.T. analysis is a strategic tool used to identify an organization’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This exercise not only highlights areas for improvement but also uncovers existing strengths that can be leveraged for successful campaigns. Additionally, a S.W.O.T. analysis aids in anticipating potential challenges, allowing organizations to proactively address issues before they escalate. Strengths • Community Engagement Initiatives: The Salem Police Department has been prioritizing community relationship- building since 2022 and remains committed to continuing this effort. • Transparency: The use of data and a public portal provides transparency to keep the public and fellow officers informed about relevant statistics. • Staffing Interest: There is a continued interest in working for the Salem Police Department. • Growth Mindset: The Salem Police Department is willing to learn and adjust to current societal changes. • Community Partnerships: The Salem Police Department works with various community organizations to create and foster relationships. Weaknesses • Budget Constraints: There is limited financial resources available, which could potentially impact staffing, training, and trust-building programs. • Lack of Diversity: There is a lack of diversity within the Salem Police Department that is non-representative of the general Salem population. • Public Perception: There are challenges in public trust and perception in light of recent outcry about unethical police practices nationwide. • Feedback Methods: The Salem Police Department does not have a program that allows for the public to provide feedback about their experiences with officers. Opportunities • Community Partnerships: The Salem Police Department can collaborate with various community organizations to strengthen trust and build meaningful relationships within the community. • Training Programs: There is an opportunity for enhanced training on de-escalation techniques as well as mental health training. • Language Access Program: There is an increased need for translation services to help decrease the communication barrier, which is prominent in the northeast Salem area. • Trust and Transparency: There is an opportunity to build trust and transparency with the community through various programs and initiatives. Threats • Rising Crime Rates: Salem has seen an increase in crime rates, specifically among youth offenders in the northeast and downtown areas. • Social Media and Public Scrutiny: Increased scrutiny of police, especially on social media, can prevent trust building infinitives from being successful. • Lack of Resources: Lack of funding and resources could potentially prevent trust and community initiatives from being implemented. • Political Shifts: Changes in the political system, especially during times of elections, could potentially impact views and feelings about police. 12 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community ANALYSIS OF KEY PUBLICS A key public refers to the specific audience a campaign aims to reach. Student teams identified key publics through research to determine which populations would be most impacted by the campaign. The two major publics students recommend the Salem Police Department focus on are Hispanic males ages 18-25 and youth ages 11-18. Based on student research, these groups have the highest potential to be influenced by campaigns aimed at increasing trust between the community and the Salem Police Department. Additionally, students identified secondary publics such as non-English speaking residents located in northeast Salem, and youth who have been previously involved in the justice system. Major Publics The student groups conducted substantial research to determine that the primary audience the Salem Police Department should focus on is Hispanic males aged 18 to 35. The research shows that 87% of those who were involved in a crime, as victims or perpetrators, were male and 51% were Hispanic. In addition to this, police violence by race disproportionately impacted the Hispanic community, meaning trust has already been weakened within this demographic. This gap in trust and high interactions with the Salem Police Department presents an opportunity to foster stronger relationships within this community. By prioritizing initiatives that emphasize genuine, human-to-human connection and take place alongside prominent community organizations that already have a presence within the Hispanic community, the department can work toward building trust and, ultimately, enhance the overall safety and well-being of the community. While not the primary public, youth ages 11-18 are also an important group to target. Based on additional research completed by student groups, statistics have shown that juveniles comprised of 18% of suspects involved in crimes and 10% of victims. Data shows that Salem youth are not only affected by crime but are also occasionally the perpetrators of crime. To address the issue of rising violence within the youth population, the Salem Police Department can focus on prevention efforts targeted towards younger generations. By investing in early intervention and fostering trust at an impressionable age, the department can reduce youth violence and incarceration rates while building lasting relationships that promote trust and safety throughout their lives. Secondary Publics A strong secondary public is non-English speaking residents located in northeast Salem. Non-native speakers often struggle to communicate with police, access resources, or report crimes due to language barriers and fear of authorities. Without culturally appropriate outreach, trust between these communities and law enforcement suffers. Given their high representation in crime statistics, providing accessible services supports the department’s goals to reduce violence and recidivism. An additional secondary public consists of young adults aged 18 and under who have been involved in the juvenile justice system. Whether in the system or not, these young adults often already have negative perspectives of the Salem Police Department. They can face challenges such as stigma, limited resources, and barriers to education or employment, making them a crucial demographic for outreach and support to positively connecting with the police department. 13 External Research This section outlines the various student recommendations and plans the Salem Police Department can utilize to help increase trust with the identified publics. Recommendations made by students include the strategies and tactics that outline what the Salem Police Department can do to help reach their goals around fostering trust. CORE PROBLEM AND OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT The primary challenge for the Salem Police Department is developing an effective system to measure and strengthen trust within the Salem community, particularly among Hispanic males aged 18-25 and youth aged 11-18. The key opportunity lies within engaging both target publics to help foster trust between the Salem Police Department and the greater Salem community. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Goal: The goal of this campaign is to increase the trust between the Salem Police Department and the Salem community, focusing on Hispanic males and youth. Objectives Hispanic Males ages 18-25 • Objective A: To engage three Hispanic community-based organizations with the police department between January and July 2025. • Objective B: Hold monthly community meetings with trusted community leaders, aiming to double attendance over an 18-month period. Youth ages 11-18 • Objective A: Work with five public middle schools between January and June 2025. • Objective B: To increase social media following by 20% on platforms such as YouTube and Instagram between January 2025 and July 2025 based on October 2024 baseline numbers. Non-English-Speaking Residents • Objective A: Increase engagement with ESL residents by 25% through culturally relevant community events and outreach programs by the end of 2025. • Objective B: Ensure 100% of department communication materials and safety alerts are available in both English and Spanish by the end of 2025. Youth with Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System • Objective A: Recruit five youth to participate in a mentorship program facilitated by the Salem Police Department by the end of 2025. • Objective B: Increase awareness and understanding of police roles and available resources by 25% by the end of 2025. Recommendations 14 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community STRATEGIES AND TACTICS Strategies and tactics are what needs to be done to achieve the objectives of a campaign plan and in turn, make it effective. For each identified public, there is a strategy and two tactics provided by the group that worked closely with this specific public. The strategies describe the general goal, while the tactics describe what exactly needs to be done to achieve this goal. Public: Hispanic Males 18-25 • Strategy A: Host three events with the Salem Police Department and community-based Hispanic organizations to increase trust and connection with Hispanic males ages 18-25. • Tactic 1: Host a joint 5k event with Latinos Unidos Siempre, an immigrant’s right organization that focuses on labor protections and legal aid, and the police department with an entry fee. All proceeds will support the organization. (Figure 3) • Tactic 2: Host a night festival and market with local food truck vendors, highlighting Hispanic small businesses. (Figure 4) Public: Youth ages 11-18 • Strategy B: Create social media campaigns such as “Behind the Badge” alongside a school assembly program. • Tactic 1: Create a vlog series titled “Behind the Badge” that follows officers while they are on the job. Features may include virtual ride- alongs to help people understand and experience the everyday life of a police officer. (Figure 5) • Tactic 2: Hold a school assembly in which members of the police department come to public schools to educate and interact with the youth population. Officers will present a short presentation with interactive questions for the audience to answer. (Figure 6) Public: Non-English-Speaking Residents • Strategy C: Establish ongoing in- person outreach events coupled with data-driven communication to demonstrate tangible progress toward reducing violence. • Tactic 1: Host bilingual town hall meeting and Q & A sessions in collaboration with local community centers, schools, and faith-based organizations. Provide real-time translation services and materials in multiple languages to encourage participation. (Figure 7) • Tactic 2: Create a workflow to ensure that new safety alerts, press releases, and social media updates are translated. Public: Youth with Involvement in the Juvenile Justice System • Strategy D: Develop a mentorship program for youth who have been a part of the juvenile justice system. • Tactic 1: Partner with the Community Action Reentry Service (CARS) and/or the DeMuniz Resource Center. • Tactic 2: Present the formerly incarcerated adults with the opportunity to work with youth. 15 Recommendations FIG. 3 Example of Strategy A, Tactic 1 16 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community FIG. 4 Example of Strategy A, Tactic 2 17 Recommendations FIG. 5 Example of Strategy B, Tactic 1 Salem Police Connect: School Assembly Program Join us for an engaging assembly with the Salem Police Department, where students will learn valuable safety tips in an interactive and fun environment. Officers will present important information and encourage participation through questions and activities. Exciting prizes, such as turning on the police siren and earning a custom police badge, will make this a memorable experience for everyone! https://www.cityofsalem.net https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/safety/police J A N U A R Y 8 , 2 0 2 5 | 2 P M S T E P H E N S M I D D L E S C H O O L 18 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community FIG. 6 Example of Strategy B, Tactic 2 JOIN US AS WE FOLLOW OUR OFFICERS THROUGH THEIR DAY-TO-DAY LIVES, DON’T MISS THIS CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE WHAT IT’S REALLY LIKE TO BE A POLICE OFFICER! WATCH NOW ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND STAY CONNECTED WITH US ON INSTAGRAM FOR MORE UPDATES! T H E L A T E S T E P I S O D E O F O U R “ B E H I N D T H E B A D G E ” V L O G S E R I E S I S N O W L I V E O N T H E S A L E M P O L I C E D E P A R T M E N T Y O U T U B E C H A N N E L ! 19 Recommendations FIG. 7 7 Example of Strategy C, Tactic 1 20 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community IMPLEMENTATION The implementation of the tactics outlined in the previous section demonstrates what taking action would involve, including cost considerations and what those costs would cover. This section intentionally avoids specifying the exact structure of each event, leaving that decision to the Salem Police Department. However, the following implementation table, combined with the previously described tactics, serves as a guide for executing various campaigns Strategy Tactic Cost Per Unit Number of Units Description of Cost Total Cost A 1 $440 1 Rubber bracelets for participants, flyers, runners’ bibs, tents, water stations, course directories $440 A 2 $75 1 Promotion through flyers, space given as in- kind donation $75 B 1 $0 n/a Use of personal equipment and no additional work hours needed $0 B 2 $250 5 Stickers, prizes and employee pay $1,250 C 1 $56.36 10 Flyers to promote the events, refreshments, signage $563.60 C 2 $50 10 Translation services $500 D 1 $0 n/a n/a $0 D 2 $0 n/a n/a $0 21 Recommendations EVALUATION PLAN Evaluating the success of an ongoing PR campaign is crucial. Implementing effective evaluation strategies provides valuable insights into successes and opportunities for improvement. These insights, in turn, help refine future campaigns, making them more informed and increasing their chances of success. Strategy A, Tactics 1 and 2 To evaluate the success of both the 5K run and the night festival, students recommend that the department host three focus groups of eight to ten Hispanic community members both before and after each event. These groups will assess trust levels between the Hispanic community and the Salem Police Department. Following each event, three additional focus groups with similar questions will help measure the effectiveness of these initiatives in building trust. Strategy B, Tactics 1 and 2 To measure the success of the school assemblies, numbers of attendees will be considered as well as the participation of students. To assess the success of the “Behind the Badge” vlog series, subscribers, interactions, and the demographics of these interactions on videos will determine if these videos are successful. Strategy C, Tactics 1 and 2 To measure the success of bilingual town hall meetings, attendees will be asked how they felt during the event once it is concluded. Ideally, attendees will express feeling welcome and understood in the post-event survey. To measure the success of increased translation services, the Spanish-speaking residents will report through surveys that they have had an increase level of understanding of safety alerts and releases. Strategy D, Tactics 1 and 2 To measure the success of having youth participate in a mentorship program, students recommend collecting attendance information and distributing an online form that asks how those involved in this program felt following their experience. To measure how awareness and understanding of police roles has increased, there can also be an online form that monitors how people feel about this goal being met. (Figure 8) 22 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community FIG. 8 Example of Potential Survey 23 Recommendations Conclusion Through targeted strategies and carefully designed tactics, students provided a framework that includes community events, social media initiatives, mentorship programs, and improved communication outreach. These recommendations, grounded in extensive research, offer potential solutions to bridge the trust gap and create a stronger, more positive relationship between the police and the community. By implementing these strategies, the Salem Police Department has the opportunity to foster community engagement, promote safety, and ultimately reduce the negative perceptions of law enforcement that have historically hindered trust. With careful attention to execution and ongoing evaluation, these efforts can foster stronger relationships and continue building trust with the Salem community. Students in the Public Relations Strategic Planning course developed comprehensive, research-based campaign proposals aimed at increasing trust between the department and the diverse communities it serves, particularly focusing on Hispanic males and youth. 24 Fall 2024 Increasing Trust Between the Salem Police Department and the Salem Community References Alexander, Rachel. “Some Salem Leaders Never Stopped Fighting Gangs. They’re Skeptical of the City’s New Push.” Salem Reporter, January 8, 2024. https://www. salemreporter.com/2024/01/03/some- salem-leaders-never-stopped-fighting- gangs-theyre-skeptical-of-the-citys- new-push/. Campaign Zero. “We Obtained Data on 166 Oregon Police Departments.” Police Scorecard: Salem, OR. Accessed February 4, 2025. https://policescorecard.org/or/ police-department/salem. Mangan, Tom. “How Police in Salem, Oregon, Found a Faster, Better Way to Communicate, Cooperate and Elevate Situational Awareness.” Police1, December 5, 2024. https://www.police1. com/police-products/mobile-data/ situational-awareness-technology/how- police-in-salem-oregon-found-a-faster- better-way-to-communicate-cooperate- and-elevate-situational-awareness. McDonald, Abbey. “Key Findings from the City’s Gun Violence Report.” Salem Reporter, November 15, 2023. https:// www.salemreporter.com/2023/11/15/ key-findings-from-the-citys-gun- violence-report/. “Our Sister Organizations.” PCUN. Accessed February 4, 2025. https://pcun. org/our-partners/. “Salem, Or.” Data USA. Accessed February 5, 2025. https://datausa.io/profile/geo/ salem-or/. Salem Police Department | Salem, Oregon. Accessed February 5, 2025. https:// www.cityofsalem.net/community/safety/ police/salem-police-department. Salem Police Department Use of Force Annual Report 2023. (2023). City of Salem. https://www.cityofsalem.net/ home/showpublisheddocument/24509/ 638640682229230000 Tabrizian, Ardeshir. “Salem’s Violent Crime Dipped, Homicides at 15-Year High in 2023.” Salem Reporter, April 29, 2024. https://www.salemreporter. com/2024/04/23/salems-violent-crime- dipped-homicides-at-15-year-high- in-2023/. Tabrizian, Ardeshir, Rachel Alexander, and Ardeshir Tabrizian and Rachel Alexander. “Salem Shootings Doubled, Teen Violence Tripled in Recent Years, Report Finds.” Salem Reporter, March 14, 2024. https:// www.salemreporter.com/2023/11/15/ salem-shootings-doubled-teen-violence- tripled-in-recent-years-report-finds/. Youth events and activities | Salem, Oregon. Accessed February 5, 2025. https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/ things-to-do/youth-events-and- activities. 25 Marc Schlossberg SCI Co-Director, and Professor of Planning, Public Policy and Management, University of Oregon Nico Larco SCI Co-Director, and Professor of Architecture, University of Oregon Megan Banks SCYP Director, University of Oregon Lindsey Hayward SCYP Assistant Program Manager, University of Oregon Grace Craven Report Coordinator Danielle Lewis Graphic Designer SCI Directors and Staff