There is a desperate need for novel approaches to stop violent and unjust police treatment of communities of color, and to reduce the othering and disconnection between police and community members. Our previous research suggests benefits of mindfulness and related contemplative practices for police well-being and mental health, but due to the centering of police perspectives, it remains unknown whether this training can strengthen community well-being by fostering interconnection and reducing othering. This project will center community voices, particularly those of communities of color and marginalized populations, to ensure that future research with police reflects community priorities. We will first establish a community advisory board consisting of community members and representatives of organizations directly affected by policing. This board will help plan and implement listening sessions and focus groups to collect data on perceived problems with policing, how our training program may help address these problems, and how to best measure the “success” of this training from a community perspective. Results from these community engagement activities will be used to revise our training program and develop new outcome measures that reflect community priorities, and may suggest novel research directions that advance the vision of a more just and equitable world.
