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  • The Reverse RideAlong
project leader
Joe B
location
1246 E. 101 St.
(City of Cleveland)
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the project

Imagine a scenario where community leaders invite Police Officers, Doctors, and other service providers into their neighborhood to learn about the community's assets and culture.  During this interaction, the residents and the service providers strip themselves of their titles and connect as men and women who envision a better community.  This process of sharing space and learning together is called a Reverse RideAlong.

The Reverse RideAlong is a community-based initiative intent on building networks of trust and collaboration between social servants and the constituents they serve. This grassroots approach uses community tours as an instrument to highlight key resident leaders and institutions within each individual community.

The Reverse RideAlong started in 2016, when Jan Thrope, community activist and founder of Inner Visions, participated in a ride-along with the Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA) Police. The experience was riveting; she noted that being in the presence of the officers creates a sense of tension that was completely different from her experiences as a community leader. As a takeaway from the experience, Jan felt the need to create an opportunity to expose officers to the positive attributes of the community. The Cleveland Central Promise Neighborhood was a willing and supportive partner, and Promise Neighborhood Engagement Manager Joe Black worked alongside Jan and other community leaders to develop the Reverse RideAlong.

To date, the Reverse RideAlong has been adopted by both the CMHA Police and the Cleveland Police Academy as a part of their training for new officers, with cadets spending four to nine hours on a Reverse RideAlong during their final days in the academy. The following is a recap of outcomes to date:

· 134 hours of direct engagement have occurred between police officers and community residents.
· 441 officers have participated in a Reverse RideAlong experience.
· Over 3,500 residents have experienced direct interaction with Police Officers as a result of this program.
· 82 community organizations have participated in a Reverse RideAlong activity.

Now we are looking for funding to enhance our programming and deepen our impact. 

the steps

In partnership with the Cleveland Police Department we are scheduled to host a Reverse RideAlong in the first quarter of 2023.

The Reverse RideAlong team

1. Identify community sites to host Reverse RideAlong activities

2. Market event and activities to City of Cleveland residents 

3. Facilitate activities in partnership with community sites 

Our team is working with a filmmaker to create a documentary   

 

why we're doing it

Changing the perspective of both the community and the Police is not simple; however, taking a step toward creating avenues for engagement can change the narrative and improve the community and police relations. Our role in the project is to eliminate the badge and shield as a barrier to positive interactions and create a space where people can have conversations, from there, we can learn and develop our own opinion about officers and community members.

As a result of taking nearly 500 officers in the community, the officers are eager for more Reverse Ride-Along opportunities because they get to hear the truth from the community. On the other end, we have engaged over 3,500 residents, the majority of whom valued the opportunity to interact with officers in a non-threatening scenario.

In short, our work is valued and needed 

budget

Disbursed budget 3-3-2023:

Stipends/ giftcards for volunteers = $526.80 
Filming a documentary = $2,500

=$3,026.80



TOTAL RAISED = $3,290.00
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) $164.50
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%) $98.70
TOTAL TO DISBURSE= $3,026.80

Original budget:



TOTAL PROJECT FUNDING NEEDED $7,500
ioby Fiscal Sponsorship Fee (5%) $408
ioby Donation Processing Fee (3%)
(Donation processing fee does not apply to match funding.)		 $245
TOTAL TO RAISE= $8,152

Donation processing fees apply to donations only. Please note, fees are estimated here and final numbers may change based on the final amount raised.

Food = $ 1,500

Space Rentals = $1,500 

Stipends/ giftcards for volunteers = $2,000

Filming a documentary = $2,500

updates

Sorry, but this project doesn't have any updates yet.

photos

This is where photos will go once we build flickr integration

donors

  • Dan Mc
  • Eric Schaffert
  • Stef & Keith
  • The Joe Quinn
  • King K.
  • Taylor Lamborn
  • Anonymous
  • Pat S. & Tom S.
  • Bill B.
  • Debbie & Hal
  • Anonymous
  • Michael Carrino
  • Anonymous
  • Papa John
  • Cathy Koppelman
  • K. Kaye
  • Carrie
  • Nancy and Bill B.
  • Goodwater
  • Jamie S.
  • Dani Mecaskey
  • Anonymous
  • Jane P.
  • Kelly Hall
  • Brendan F.
  • Shawn Gorey
  • Alex Litofsky
  • Dr. Michael Biscaro & Family