1. Defending Childhood Initiative Memphis Police Department
A Partnership: Connecting Families and Resources Together
Major Charles Newell, Memphis Police Department
Keisha Walker, Shelby County Office of Early Childhood & Youth
Malrie Shelton, Defending Childhood Initiative, Shelby County

2. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

3. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention
Goals of Defending Childhood Initiative
Prevent children’s exposure to violence.
Mitigate the negative effects experienced by children exposed to violence.
Develop knowledge about and spread awareness of childhood exposure to violence.

4. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention
Legend: 1.
Mutual coordination 2.
Provides staff support 3.
Fiscal oversight & Contract Management 4.
Supports (policy, advocacy, strategic direction) 5.
Strategies implemented by Core Teams Accountable
Partners
MSCC/Operation: Safe Community
Defending Childhood Steering Committee (
subcommittee of MSCC Board and
other
stakeholders)
Pilot Project Areas
Community Action
Partnerships (CAPS)
MSCC E.D.
Michelle Fowlkes
DCI -
NOVA
Coordinator
Malrie Shelton
Non
Funded
MPD,
DCS, et.al.
Agape, et.al.
Administrator,
SCOECY
Keisha Walker 3 1
Research and
system design
partners 4 2
OSC
2012-
2016
Chair:
Bill Gibbons, TN Commissioner
of Safety/Homeland Security
MSCC A.E.D.
Patience Walker
OSC Goal 5: Reduce Youth Violence Co
Chair s
Amy Weirich, SC DA
Merlene Hyman,
DCS, RA
MPD Major
Charles Newell
Prevention Strategy Leaders
Memphis Mayor A C Wharton
Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell
Steve West, Methodist Healthcare
Int
ervention Strategy Leaders
Juvenile Court Judge Curtis Person
Shelby County Schools
Superintendent Dorsey Hopson, II
Law
Enforcement Strategy Leaders
Shelby County District Attorney
Amy Weirich
Memphis Police Director
Toney Armstrong
Juvenile Justice/Graduated Sanc
tions
Strategy Leaders
TN DCS Commissioner James Henry
TN DOC Commissioner Derrick
Schofield
Reduce Youth Repeat Offenses
U.S. Attorney
Ed Stanton
TN Board of Probation & Parole
Chairman
Charles Traughber 5

5. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention
NOVA is a network of public and private agency partners connecting a community of trained adults to children and youth exposed to violence—for trauma counseling, parenting support, and other family assistance.

6. Defending Childhood Initiative Partners
AGAPE Child & Family Services
Center for Community Building and Neighborhood Action
Consilience Group
Exchange Club Family Center
Family Safety Center
LeBonheur Community Health & Well-Being
Memphis Area Women’s Council
Memphis Child Advocacy Center
Memphis and Shelby County Juvenile Court
Memphis Police Department
Splash Creative
Victims to Victory
University of Memphis Dept. of Social Work

7. NO WRONG DOOR

8. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

9. NOVA DEMONSTRATION SITES
Old Allen (including Frayser)
38127, 38128
Southeast Memphis
38115, 38118, 38125, 38141

10. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention
A Place-Based Strategy Supported by Coordinated Community-Wide Systems
Prevention – Intervention – Site Based
Reaching at-risk children, youth, and families where they live
Collaborative and intensified identification, outreach, support, and follow-up as a model that would be replicated from neighborhood to neighborhood in Memphis/Shelby County

11. Memphis Police Department
Director Toney Armstrong – leader sets the foundation
Recognized globally as the leader in technology, especially in crime-fighting strategies
Staffed by more than 2,500 commissioned officers who are innovative, highly trained, technically proficient, and culturally sensitive

12. Memphis Police Department
Community Outreach Program (COP)
Crisis Intervention Team
“Memphis Model”

13. The Memphis Police Department and NOVA
Cops and Kids Training
Domestic Violence Training
NOVA Brochure

14. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

15. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

16. National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention

17. NOVA Training Video Memphis Police Department
Shelby County Sheriff Department
Other First Responders

18. Engagement of Law Enforcement
Established Youth Violence Prevention Coordinator
Vision/Philosophy of Director Armstrong to balance enforcement and prevention
True engagement across multiple initiatives to prevent youth violence

19. Why This Work Is Important
Evolution of Memphis Police Department
Officers desire to “Protect and Serve”

20. Lessons Learned Keep the process simple
Create training and professional development opportunities for officers
Cultivate mutual supportive relationship between law enforcement and community partners

21. Key Links and Resources