The Baton Rouge Community Street Team (BRCST) is more than a public safety experiment—it’s a possible future blueprint. BRCST breaks violence intervention into four steps: identifying problems through data collection, determining why violence is happening, developing rigorously tested prevention strategies, and implementing a plan. But what does that look like? PushBlack spoke with Community Navigator Team Lead Darius Crockett to find out.
“[Police] don’t necessarily know how to deal with the people on the other side of the yellow tape,” said Crockett. But high-risk interventionists, or people from the community with lived experiences with incarceration and gun violence, do. That’s where he began, as a peace ambassador with already-established trust and respect. Combining community wisdom with extensive training allows these interventionists to realistically guide neighbors, especially youth, away from situations they’re susceptible to getting in over their heads.
Now, Crockett oversees cases, assesses data, and allocates resources, like jobs and mental health support. Police and BRCST report incidents and progress at public roundtable meetings.
But unlike police, BRCST approaches violence as a public health issue. “Everything [police] do is reactive and not proactive,” Crockett explained. Much like police violence, intracommunity violence doesn’t have to be a fact of life. We can create community solutions that keep us safe.
If you’re interested in learning more about Crockett and BRCST, including myth breakdowns, frequently asked questions, and day-to-day examples, check out our new “Don’t Cop Out” podcast here: https://pushblack.news/qlx