By Yuritza Arroyo
Union County officials, invite you to attend the launch of a county-wide community initiative designed to assist in making Union County a safer place to live, work, and visit.
According to officials, known as the Safe Place Initiative, this program represents an active collaborative effort between local police departments, businesses, social organizations, and schools to further combat bias, hate, and violence.
The public rollout of our Safe Place Initiative is currently scheduled to occur at Kean University on Thursday, October 13, beginning at 4:00 pm.
Safe Place participants will display a decal designating their establishment a “safe place” for any individual to enter and call law enforcement should they feel unsafe.
This initiative began in Seattle, Washington, as an effort to reduce LGBTQ+ bias incidents and hate crimes.
Our Union County Safe Place program is designed to assist all victims of hate, bullying, and bias offenses that include, but are not limited to, race, color, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, national origin, or ethnicity.
Any individual who sees a Safe Place logo will know the establishment displaying the decal will provide a “safe place” where victims of these offenses can seek refuge.
At the same time, the police are notified and arrive to assist them.
Union County officials is anticipating the participation of many of our local law enforcement agencies accredited by the Seattle Police Department to be facilitators of the initiative in their respective towns.
Also attending the launch event will be the founder of the international Safe Place program, Officer Dorian Korieo of the Seattle Police Department, who will act as our keynote speaker.
Law enforcement agencies throughout Union County are committed to protecting all Union County residents and visitors from being free from bias incidents and hate crimes.
Safe Place sends a message to victims of bias and hate crimes that they will be treated with care, dignity, and respect from the businesses, schools, and any other establishment they enter as well as from the police officers who respond to investigate.
The Safe Place Program is currently in 300+ municipalities within the United States, Canada, and Europe.