Dear Friends,
In the wake of the devastating shooting of Sonya Massey by a sheriff’s deputy in Springfield, IL, we find ourselves grappling with a profound sense of loss and outrage. The tragic events that unfolded when a routine call for help turned lethal echo the recurring nightmare experienced by many Black families across America. Sonya Massey’s death is a stark reminder of the urgent need for systemic change in our approach to public safety.
What happened to Sonya Massey is not an isolated incident. It is symptomatic of the deep-seated injustices within our oppressive and discriminatory criminal legal system. The deaths of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Atatiana Jefferson, and Sandra Bland and the countless other instances of police violence underscore a painful reality: our system of mass criminalization of low-income and communities of color is failing to equitably protect and serve our neighborhoods. Marginalized communities face disproportionate rates of surveillance, violence, and incarceration. This inequity erodes trust and perpetuates a cycle of trauma, leaving these communities unsafe and underserved.
In response to the murder of George Floyd, a Houston native, Harris County reaffirmed its commitment to holistic programs that improve public safety and reduce overreliance on the criminal legal system. Our Holistic Assistance Response Teams (HART), a health-based community responder program, has become one of our successful initiatives and a model for local communities across the country, including communities like Sonya Massey’s.
This week at Commissioners Court, we heard powerful testimonies from community members who shared how HART has not only made them feel safer during natural disasters and emergencies but has also provided critical support in moments of personal crises. In response, we took decisive action to strengthen the program – a significant milestone but just the beginning.
We’ve yet to see an end to police brutality and systemic oppression, and we won’t see it until we courageously advocate for initiatives and programs that invest in community safety and center people, all people.
The HART program aims to do just that by connecting people to resources and services that improve the health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of Harris County residents experiencing issues related to behavioral health, poverty, substance use, and homelessness. It also eases the strain on law enforcement and the hospital system by providing appropriate responses to 911 calls and reducing the overreliance on law enforcement or hospital-based interventions for non-emergency 911 calls. Since its inception in March 2022, HART has been able to respond to over 12,200 calls that otherwise would have been answered by law enforcement.
The need for such programs is evident. Community responders and credible messengers are proven to effectively advance community safety, reduce racial disparities, and reduce our overreliance on ineffective and destructive mass incarceration.
The HART program is a step in the right direction, but it is only one part of a larger movement toward equitable and humane treatment for all. We must do more to reimagine what safety means and work to prioritize, empower, and center communities that for too long have been over-criminalized and underserved.
We must prioritize the health and well-being of our community members and build trust between residents and those tasked with their safety.
The recent protests and calls for justice following Sonya Massey’s death are a powerful reminder of the ongoing struggle for accountability and reform. We must listen to the voices that #SayHerName, demand equal justice, and commit to transformative changes that truly make us safe.
As we continue to mourn the loss of Sonya Massey and countless others, let us also honor their memory by advocating for a system that truly makes all communities safer, values every life, and prioritizes community well-being. By working together to implement and expand programs like HART, we create a safer, more just society for everyone.
Sincerely,
Rodney Ellis