Foundation grantee Roca, Inc.’s mission is to be a relentless force in disrupting incarceration, poverty, and racism by engaging the young adults, police, and systems at the center of urban violence in relationships to address trauma, find hope, and drive change. As part of this mission, Roca trained more than 5,000 police and corrections officers in the basics of brain science and the impact of trauma, utilizing conflict resolution skills to help them improve their understanding of young people, maintain control of their emotions, and perform their jobs more effectively.

On September 26, Roca shared the results from the first stage of their 18-month evaluation. The expert panelists included Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox, Former Deputy Baltimore Police Commissioner and Evaluator John Skinner, PhD, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley, Maureen McGough, Co-Founder of the 30x30 Initiative to Advance Women in Policing and Executive Director of the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety Program at the University of South Carolina, and Middlesex County, MA Special Sheriff Amoroso Cefalo.

A recording of the session can be found here. 

To view the summary of the 18-month evaluation, click here.