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  • Community Empowerment | Mayers Strategic Solutions, Chicago IL

    Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC is Advancing Community Empowerment-Centered Policing Reform® for long-term solutions in public safety through the C.A.T. Method℠ "The Process Reflects the Outcome" WELCOME Let's Build A Solution Together Start Now Introduction Advancing the Community Empowerment-Centered Approach for long-term solutions in community safety and development through the C.A.T. Method® Navigate Federal Funding Cuts What to Do Now About the State and Local Impact of Federal Funding Cuts Download the Federal Funding Quick Exposure Checklist Read More Gun Violence Youth Roundtable Discussions Community Listening Session Held with Youth, Munice NAACP and Law Enforcement Read More Surveillance & A.I. Technology Oversight in Action: How Civilian Oversight Bodies Can Shape Surveillance Accountability Download the Surveillance Oversight Scorecard Read More Community Safety Listening Sessions Milwaukee, WI Community-Oriented Policing Report Released, includes Mayers II, Esq.'s Findings Read More Public Trust & Fairness Groundbreaking State Police Decertification Laws National Report Card Released Read More Nashville Community Review Board Introduces Mayers Solutions' Recommendations Read More Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Book Now

  • Services | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC provides a custom-tailored approach to each community, will remain closely involved in every project and its success, and can collaborate and partner with all community stakeholders and interested parties to support public safety and accountability through more proactive, rather than reactive, strategies. Services Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Book Now Home > Services Check Out The Areas Of Focus Understanding that not every community will have the same needs, Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC provides a custom-tailored approach to each community, will remain closely involved in every project and its success, and can collaborate and partner with all community stakeholders and interested parties to support public safety and ensure public trust & fairness through more proactive, rather than reactive, strategies. Carlton knows combined efforts from community members and those who represent and protect them, to break down their silos, will empower communities for current and future generations. Offering Exceptional Customized Assistance for Clients, such as: Amendatory Language Assistance Recommendations for the removal of, the addition of, and the amendment of language in legislation, collective bargaining agreements (union contracts), strategic plans, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and departmental policies, procedures, practices, and training materials based on assessments. New Language Assistance Development of initial language in legislation, collective bargaining agreements (union contracts), strategic plans, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and departmental policies, procedures, practices, and training materials based on assessments. Research and Assessments Assessments through research and analysis of legislation, collective bargaining agreements (union contracts), strategic plans, memorandums of understanding (MOUs), and departmental policies, procedures, practices, and trainings. Resource Creation The development of educational and actionable materials based on assessments. Community Assistance Trainings, presentations, speaking engagements, workshops, developing & implementing strategic plans, grassroots & grasstops advocacy and campaigns And Providing Services With a Focus on Community Development Advising lawmakers and other stakeholders on model legislative language related to community safety reform, improving community-police relations, and public trust & fairness. Advising community members, law enforcement, news media outlets, non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, lawmakers and other government officials on the best practices and models for community safety, improving community-police relations, and public trust & fairness. Providing technical assistance to community members, law enforcement agencies, news media outlets, non-profit organizations, for-profit companies, lawmakers and other government officials by developing , strategizing , and implementing community mechanisms and processes related to state and/or local law enforcement agencies': Negotiations of collective bargaining agreements (police union contracts) Hiring and promotions of law enforcement officers Development and modification of departmental policies, procedures, and practices Discipline of law enforcement officers Training of law enforcement officers Data collection, analysis, and public reporting of law enforcement activities for police-civilian interactions What our partners are saying Mr. Mayers has provided training and consultation to our membership and local communities about Community Empowerment-Centered Policing Reform which has been a game changer for us in the Greater Grand Rapids community. President Cle Jackson (NAACP Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Branch) Contact First Name Last Name Email Message Like what you see? Get in touch to learn more. Send Thanks for submitting!

  • Video Library | Mayers Strategic Sol

    Media Library Video Channel Name All Categories Play Video Play Video 00:23 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:32 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:29 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:31 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:23 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:32 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:29 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:31 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Play Video Play Video 00:23 Video Title This is a great space to update your audience with a description of your video. Include information like what the video is about, who produced it, where it was filmed, and why it’s a must-see for viewers. Remember this is a showcase for your professional work, so be sure to use intriguing language that engages viewers and invites them to sit back and enjoy. Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what your team does and what your site has to offer. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery or video for even more engagement.

  • Book/Contact | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    Interested in learning more about these proven effective methods to concerns within your neighborhood? Let's work together to implement the Mayers Strategic Solution's C.A.T. Method ℠ and create a positive environment for our children and the future. "The Process Reflects the Outcome" Book a Consultation + Connect Advancing Community Empowerment-Centered Policing Reform ® for Long-Term and Sustainable Solutions in Public Safety Through the C.A.T. Method ® Interested in learning more about these proven effective methods to concerns within your neighborhood? Let's work together to implement the Mayers Strategic Solution's C.A.T. Method ® and create a positive environment for our children and the future. Contact Us First Name Email Message Send Thanks for submitting! Get in touch today to see how we can join forces to empower communities by identifying, strategizing, and implementing evidence-based solutions for effective public safety at the state and local levels.

  • Media | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    Find out what Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC has been busy doing. Listen to podcasts, watch videos, and read publications to see how Carlton Mayers is implementing his proven methods to achieve effective change in communities all across the country. Media Home > Media Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Book Now News Coverage In the News Joan Esposito "Live, Local, and Progressive Radio Show" 06/04/21 Learn More Caroline Morse “Dayton Unit NAACP Advocates for ‘Community Centered Policing: A Force for Change’ Initiative” 04/26/21 Learn More National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) Report of the Reimagining Public Safety Task Force March, 2021 Learn More Also available here Learn More Breane Lyga “Community Empowered Policing Takes Center Stage at Rockford NAACP MLK Day Roundtable,” 01/18/2021 Learn More Sam Stecklow (Invisible Institute) “Illinois Criminal Justice Overhaul Makes it Easier to Decertify Bad Cops. But it Could be Harder for the Public to Learn About Them.” 01/13/21 Learn More Hannah Edelman “Families impacted by police shootings call for social justice, transparency in Wilmington” 11/14/21 Learn More 13 on Your Side Grand Rapids NAACP to address police shooting that killed Da’quain Johnson 2/27/2026 Learn More Venice Interfaith Community Association "Decarceration Through a Community-Oriented Criminal Justice System" 02/10/20 Learn More WWMT News Channel 3 "Commissioners support Kalamazoo County arrest database despite prosecutor pushback" 11/18/21 Learn More 23 WIFR “Safe-T Act: its explanation and when it could go into effect" 10/15/21 Learn More 13 WREX "City leaders host Racial Healing session to urge collaboration on the implementation of the SAFE-T Act" 10/14/21 Learn More WZZM News Channel 13 "NAACP and Grand Rapids working together to change police surveillance technology rules" 12/14/21 Learn More Seton Hall University “Law Enforcement and Community Empowerment for Safer Communities” 11/22/21 Learn More Fox 17 West Michigan "Grand Rapids looks to make 'needed' change to city's surveillance policy" 12/14/21 Learn More WoodTV Virtual Channel 8 "GR officials, NAACP announce recommended surveillance changes" 12/14/21 Learn More Leslie Fields “Racial Justice Is Environmental Justice” 05/26/21 Learn More Publications Publications SDIG Journal "Accountability through decertification of Police who engage in misconduct." Check out the latest published piece by Carlton Mayers II, Esq. in the SDIG's Global Diversity & Inclusion Journal. (Pages 53-57) “The Danger of Surveillance Technology to Communities of Color Needs to Be Closely Examined” The Grand Rapids Times (July 2nd, 2021) Chicago Tribune- qualified immunity "End qualified immunity for police officers to combat abuses" Carlton T. Mayers, ll, Esq. and former law enforcement officer Sonia Pruitt convey the importance of ending qualified immunity so that law enforcement officers who abuse their position can be held accountable for their actions. Videos Videos Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Interview at Muncie NAACP's Setting the Table following a roundtable discussion with the NAACP Youth Council, Muncie Police Department about gun violence and public safety solutions (2024) Muncie Youth Roundtable Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Introduction to Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC - Learn how the Community Empowerment-Centered® Approach and the C.A.T. Method® can help solve public safety challenges (2022) FIN training FIN CAT public safety Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied Learn how the Community Empowerment-Centered® Approach and the C.A.T. Method® can solve public safety challenges through law enforcement officer trainings (2022) Metropolitan Nashville Community Oversight Board Watch to learn more about Carlton T. Mayer's work with the Metropolitan Nashville Community Oversight Board to assess its civilian complaint process and assists with other operations. How Automated Enforcement Can Perpetuate Inequities in Transportation In the wake of the killings and harassment of Black and Brown people at the hands of law enforcement, automated enforcement (AE) is being touted as an alternative solution to community safety. Please join the Transportation Equity Caucus (TEC) in a discussion about how automated traffic enforcement has the potential to perpetuate bias and disparities, increase fines and fees, and increase surveillance and incarceration in BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) communities. FIN Data Surveillance Education A surveillance education video created in conjunction with NAACP Greater Grand Rapids Branch in Michigan. Watch to learn more about how public safety surveillance is utilized for law enforcement and more. Play Video Facebook Twitter Pinterest Tumblr Copy Link Link Copied RJI Restorative Policing (2022) Carlton participated in the Restorative Justice International podcast with Prof. David Love from Rutgers University, Rev. Dr. Sullivan, Jr. from the Ohio Council of Churches, and Lisa Rea, Executive Director of Restorative Justice International, to discuss public safety solutions such as restorative policing and how the Community Empowerment-Centered Approach aligns with restorative policing. Kalamazoo County Open Database Overview (November 2022) Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC participates in CCJT's panel discussion detailing Kalamazoo County's Open Database of its criminal legal system. CCJT Grand Rapids NAACP chapter and the City of Grand Rapids hold a press conference on administrative changes to the Surveillance Services Policy (December 14, 2021) Carlton T. Mayers, ll, Esq. joins the Grand Rapids NAACP, city commissioners, and others to discuss how the public and city partnership will improve the City’s Administrative Policy on the Acquisition and Use of Surveillance Equipment and Surveillance Services. Grand Rapids NAACP chapter reacts to release of Patrick Lyoya police shooting video (April 13, 2022) NAACP Grand Rapids Branch President Cle Jackson and Carlton T. Mayers, ll, Esq. discuss the tragedy of the officer-involved shooting and address the need for disciplinary action within the Grand Rapids Police Department. BBC Interview BBC News interview with Carlton T. Mayers, ll, Esq. and NAACP Grand Rapids Branch President Cle Jackson on the police shooting of Patrick Lyoya in Grand Rapids, Michigan As international interest in the U.S.'s police misconduct grows, Carlton and President Cle Jackson are at the forefront of those discussions to express to the global community what changes need to be implemented to achieve justice for families and communities. National Network for Justice, “State of Affairs: Examining the Intersectionality of Progressive and Regressive State Legislation” The State Issues Working Group of the Justice Roundtable (July 21, 2021) In this online presentation Carlton Mayers II, Esq., presents the progressive state and local laws that were enacted since Breonna Taylor and George Floyd's deaths in 2020. NAACP Greater Grand Rapids Branch Press Conference on Police Use of Surveillance Technology (August 17, 2021) As the Branch's Special Advisor on Public Safety, Carlton Mayers II, Esq., spoke at this press conference on proposed amendments to the City of Grand Rapids' Administrative Policy on the Acquisition and Use of Surveillance Equipment and Surveillance Services to ensure the substantive involvement of community members in the acquisition and use of surveillance technologies by the Grand Rapids Police Department and other city agencies. A Conversation with Dr. Joseph Nwoye on the Future of State and Local Policing Reform Legislation Since 2020 (October 30, 2021) Join Carlton Mayers II, Esq., and Dr. Nwoye, the founder of Systemic Diversity and Inclusion Group Company (SDIG), as they discuss Equity and Social Justice Warriors. "Racial Healing" event at the NAACP Rockford, Illinois Branch Along with Representative Maurice A. West ll and Dr. Litesa Wallace at this Rockford, Illinois event, Carlton shares his knowledge of the SAFE-T Act as well as how the C.A.T. Method ® will assist in the implementation of safer and more effective policies. NAACP Greater Grand Rapids, Michigan Branch holds news conference on surveillance technology The Grand Rapids NAACP held a news conference regarding the city's surveillance equipment in which Carlton discusses how the proposed amendments to the administrative policy for the city of Grand Rapids on surveillance equipment and services will improve public safety. Provisions that include the creation of the Surveillance Oversight Committee, mandatory public hearings before and after technology is purchased, and other measures that will create a clear picture of how surveillance use impacts municipalities. Grand Rapids overhauls surveillance technology purchase policy NAACP Greater Grand Rapids Branch President Cle J. Jackson, NAACP advisor Carlton T. Mayers II, Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss and Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington speak during a joint press conference held by the NAACP Greater Grand Rapids Branch and officials from Grand Rapids about the city's overhaul of its surveillance technology purchase policy at City Hall on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. (Cory Morse | MLive.com) Grand Rapids Surveillance September 29, 2020 Courageous Conversation - Ferguson Consent Decree, Part 1 Carlton is a panel speaker, along with the Ferguson Police Chief, the Ferguson Consent Decree Coordinator, and State Senator Brian Williams, at this event hosted by advocates in Ferguson, Missouri where they discuss the status of the Ferguson consent decree.

  • Decertification, Public Trust & Fairness | Mayers Strategic Sol

    Decertification, Public Trust & Fairness Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC. provides a strategic and actionable framework for increasing public trust and fairness in law enforcement through the mechanism of law enforcement decertification. Groundbreaking State Police Decertification Laws National Report Card Released Learn More Utilizing the C.A.T. Method® (Community Empowerment, Accountability, and Transparency), the report card packet examines how state Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Commissions [which are typically responsible for licensing and revoking the license of law enforcement officers in their states] can better engage with the public, provide data visibility, and implement legally sound standards for officer decertification. Watch: Application of Mayers II, Esq's Assessment to the Nashville and Davidson County Community Review Board Blog Watch: Mayers II, Esq. Discusses the Oversight of Surveillance Technology with Law Enforcement Leaders in Akron, OH Jun 29 Grand Rapids, MI Second Annual Surveillance Report Released May 19, 2025 Watch: Mayers II, Esq. Advocates for Surveillance Education in Michigan with Informational Video Apr 25, 2025 Schedule a Consultation

  • Youth Roundtable Discussions

    Book your Youth Roundtable and Public Safety Discussions today! Book your Consultation or Community Discussion Today Book Now Facilitation of Community Safety Conversations with Interactive Technology As the Founder, Owner, and CEO of Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC, Carlton T. Mayers, II, Esq. works with communities nationwide to solve community safety challenges like gun violence and other forms of community violence. Mr. Mayers developed and uses the Community Empowerment-Centered Approach to identify, strategize, and implement long-term and positive changes in practices, policies, and culture related to community safety through its vehicle, the C.A.T. Method®. The C.A.T. Method® stands for Community Empowerment, Accountability, Transparency. Utilizing the Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and the C.A.T. Method® in combination with interactive technology, Mr. Mayers facilitates a variety of solutions-oriented community safety conversations such as Community Development & Safety Listening Sessions, Gun Violence Youth Roundtable Discussions, Community-Informed Police Trainings, etc. Interactive technology allows presenters and their audiences to anonymously interact in real-time; and makes presentations, meetings, and lectures more engaging for audiences by bringing the conversation to the cellphone, laptop, tablet, and any other Wi-Fi devices. These community development and safety conversations can range from 45 minutes to 3 hours long and are focused on creating solutions-oriented processes and mechanisms that are custom-tailored and authentic for each individual community. Examples of Interactive Technology Implemented Across Communities On May 7, 2025, Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq., founder and CEO of Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC, addressed the Wilmington City Council’s Intergovernmental Committee to showcase how municipalities can engage his firm’s Community Empowerment-Centered Approach through the C.A.T. Method®—Community Empowerment, Accountability, and Transparency. In honor of Black History Month, the City of Berkeley, California's Civilian Oversight Authority, collaborated with the Office of the Director of Police Accountability and hired Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC to use the CAT Method with interactive technology to assist it in conducting a community visioning session. Learn More Mayers II, Esq. presented at the September 28, 2024 virtual webinar organized by the Ezekiel Taylor Scholarship Foundation "Driving While Black, Ensuring Mutual Respect & Safety" alongside Kandice Mitchell, NFL Mom (Keaton Mitchell #34 Baltimore Ravens), Walt Harris, former NFL cornerback (Chicago Bears), and Tyrone Poole, former NFL cornerback (New England Patriots 2x Superbowl Champion). Learn More Learn More Learn More Since 2020, Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC has been on contract with the City of Milwaukee, WI to work with the Mayor’s Office, Milwaukee Police Department, Office of Violence Prevention, the civilian oversight authority called the Fire and Police Commission, and community-based organizations like Pathfinders and NAACP to address both crime and improving community-police relations in a Community-Oriented Policing Plan (also called Citywide Public Safety Plan). I assisted them in developing the run-of-show and program and in co-facilitating each of the 16 public safety listening sessions that were held from the summer of 2022 to the winter of 2024. Currently, Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC is using the Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and the C.A.T. Method® in combination with interactive technology to develop and conduct Community-Informed Police Trainings. These trainings incorporate civilians, who reside in neighborhoods in the community where there are both high levels of crime and a history of high levels negative police interactions like racial profiling, excessive use of force, etc., into law enforcement trainings that involve direct police-civilian interactions such as implicit bias, crisis intervention techniques, and cultural sensitivity trainings. Earlier in 2024, Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC was hired by the Human Rights Commission in Muncie, IN to conduct a Gun Violence Youth Roundtable Discussion with high school-aged youth and Muncie Police Department officers. I developed the program and the run-of-show, and I co-facilitated the event with two high school-age youth from Muncie. Similar to Milwaukee, the Community Empowerment-Centered® Approach and the C.A.T. Method® in combination with interactive technology was used to facilitate this discussion and empower young people in Muncie to be involved in identifying and solving public safety challenges. Learn More Book your Consultation or Youth Roundtable Discussion Today Book Now

  • State Police Decertification Laws National Report Card Released

    State Police Decertification Laws National Report Card Released Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Today Book Now Groundbreaking State Police Decertification Laws National Report Card Released This report card packet provides a strategic and actionable framework for increasing public trust and fairness in law enforcement through the mechanism of law enforcement decertification. Authored by Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq., a national expert on public safety and policing reform, the report card packet evaluates how states can prevent officers engaged in misconduct from continuing employment through stronger certification and decertification processes. The report card packet underscores that, while criminal and civil accountability are important, they are not sufficient on their own. Decertification offers a more permanent solution to prevent repeat misconduct by revoking an officer’s license to serve. Utilizing the C.A.T. Method® (Community Empowerment, Accountability, and Transparency), the report card packet examines how state Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) Commissions [which are typically responsible for licensing and revoking the license of law enforcement officers in their states] can better engage with the public, provide data visibility, and implement legally sound standards for officer decertification. Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq. National Public Safety & Community Development Expert Read More Sign Up or Sign In to Download Providing community members with information on how they can pull these levers to address law enforcement misconduct. To host a global teach-in about the National Report Card or a community-specific workshop on how you can be empowered to engage in your state’s decertification process for state and local law enforcement misconduct, contact Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq. to book a workshop. Key Recomendations Key recommendations include: Empowering communities through participation in state-level oversight bodies and advisory roles. Creating public dashboards that track misconduct complaints, decertification actions, and racial disparity indicators. The report card packet also presents a 'Decertification Report Card' that assesses each state's progress toward reforms in public accountability and fairness. Ultimately, this report card packet calls on state and local leaders to act boldly and collaboratively to reclaim public trust and ensure that law enforcement decertification reflects community values and national best practices. Sign Up or Sign In to Download

  • Approach & Method | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    The C.A.T. Method ℠ empowers communities to identify, strategize, and implement long-term and constructive changes that support the professionalization and modernization of law enforcement practices, policies, and culture. Approach & Method Home > Services > Approach & Method Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Book Now The Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and The C.A.T. Method® The Community Empowerment-Centered Approach empowers local community stakeholders to collaborate with each other for long-term solutions to address community safety challenges through the C.A.T. Method ® (which stands for Community Empowerment, Accountability, and Transparency). The C.A.T. Method ® helps communities to identify, strategize, and implement constructive changes that support the professionalization and modernization of law enforcement practices, policies, and culture. Learn More Community Empowerment Accountability Transparency See what Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC is about. Learn More

  • Grand Rapids Annual Surveillance Report | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    Grand Rapids Annual Surveillance Report Released Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Today Book Now Grand Rapids Annual Surveillance Report Released The City of Grand Rapids released its first Annual Surveillance Report on April 23, 2024. This project came to be when the Grand Rapids NAACP joined forces with Mayers Solutions, LLC to lobby the city to change its surveillance technology policy. In a Fox 17 article Mayers said, “We want to get ahead and be proactive instead of being reactive and make sure that we get these safeguards put in the policy now and not after a Black person or a Brown person has been killed or brutalized by another Grand Rapids police officer.” Key Takeaways: First annual surveillance report for the City of Grand Rapids, Michigan (second largest city in Michigan next to Detroit) First time that the annual surveillance report was presented by the Office of Oversight and Public Accountability to the newly created Surveillance Oversight Committee (also called the Public Safety Committee), which has the power to discontinue the City’s use of surveillance technologies and services when there is evidence of violations of constitutional rights Besides the Grand Rapids Police Dept. (GRPD), other city entities like the Grand Rapids Fire Dept. are also using surveillance technology Download Now Report Findings Fire Department Related to municipal use of surveillance technologies and services, provides a framework for analyzing all: violations of constitutional rights (such as the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendments) broken down by race, sex, age, and location; costs to purchase and/or use the technologies and services that year; and sources of funding for the purchase and/or use the technologies and services that year GRPD’s use of unmanned aerial drones will be covered in the next annual surveillance report Police Department Analysis of civil rights violations related to the GRPD body-worn camera deactivation in the tragic officer-involved shooting and death of Patrick Lyoya in 2022 will be included in the next annual surveillance report, which will be published towards the end of 2024 The City of Grand Rapids’ use of camera trailers throughout the city; especially in areas where gun violence was recently reported, was not covered in the first annual report but will be included in future annual surveillance reports Carve out language is needed in the law so that automated traffic enforcement mechanisms like GRPD’s use of license plate readers and the City of Grand Rapids’ use of speed light cameras and red-light cameras are not exempt from being included in future annual surveillance reports

  • About | Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC

    Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC is a Black owned consulting company that works with communities across the country on public safety by establishing their own policing reforms centered on Community Empowerment through the C.A.T. Method ℠. Home > About Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq. Founder, Owner, and CEO National expert problem solver in community development and safety solutions Carlton T. Mayers II, Esq., as founder, owner and CEO for Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC , has made great strides, with over 10 years of experience advocating for criminal justice reform on Capitol Hill and in more than 30 states. Informed by his experience, Carlton developed Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and the C.A.T. Method ® , which stands for Community Empowerment, Accountability, and Transparency. Growing up with a diverse heritage in New York City, Carlton learned to value community, passion, and commitment. And the recent successes related to community safety and policing reform in several states and localities across the U.S. through Carlton's assistance, including the Kalamazoo County Open Database Resolution , further solidifies his devotion to helping communities break down the silos that prevent the open and honest exchange of information so that community members and law enforcement can effectively collaborate with each other to support public safety and ensure police accountability. FIN backgrond reform Book your Consultation or Empowerment Session Book Now Prior to founding Mayers Strategic Solutions, LLC , Carlton directed the NAACP National Office’s Criminal Justice Program and advanced criminal justice reform in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities throughout the U.S. Carlton also co-authored the Born Suspect: End Racial Profiling Report , which educates the public on ending racial profiling by law enforcement on the state and local levels. Then, as Policy Counsel for the Policing Reform Campaign at the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) Carlton conducted legal research and writing on racial bias and discrimination by law enforcement arising under federal and state criminal law and criminal procedure. Further, in this role, he strategized on creating policy and advocating for policing reform to federal, state, and local governments. Likewise, Carlton advanced policing reforms in several localities throughout the U.S., such as working on: the consent decrees in Ferguson, Missouri , and Baltimore, Maryland ; policing reforms in North Charleston, South Carolina related to the Walter Scott case; and the New York Police Department's use of stop and frisk tactics in New York City. In all these localities, Carlton worked with community members and other public safety stakeholders on establishing mechanisms and processes that meaningfully include community members in identifying, strategizing, and implementing solutions for public safety and policing reform. About-Gallery Additionally, on behalf of LDF, Carlton collaborated with officials from President Obama's Administration on various policing reform initiatives implemented by the White House and the U.S. Department of Justice including the 21st Century Policing Task Force Final Report . Carlton lobbied on Capitol Hill with federal lawmakers for federal policing reform legislation as well. Since the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, Carlton advised state lawmakers in multiple states on policing reform legislation, and five of these states (Wisconsin, Indiana, Missouri, Illinois, and Maryland) passed policing reform legislation into law in 2021 that incorporate Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and the C.A.T. Method ® . In 2021, Carlton also provided feedback on policing reform solutions to the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE) which recently published a report on reimagining public safety. Indeed, Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and C.A.T Method ® are highlighted in NOBLE ’s report. These and other experiences throughout Carlton's policy reform and advocacy career have given him perspective on how diverse public safety and policing reform can look in different communities. There is no cookie cutter solution. And Carlton understands that to have longstanding and sustainable solutions for public safety and community-law enforcement interactions, community members who live in neighborhoods with high levels of negative interactions with law enforcement like racial policing and excessive use of force must have substantive decision making power over all law enforcement activities that are directly related to community-law enforcement interactions like stops, arrests, uses of force, surveillance technology, and the way protests are handled. It is imperative that, through the establishment of specific mechanisms and processes, these community members are empowered to effectively address improving community-law enforcement relations because these community members are closest to the problem and have their fingers on the pulse of community-law enforcement interactions. Through Community Empowerment-Centered Approach and C.A.T Method ® , Carlton empowers communities to make this ideal a reality. 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