Tacoma Police Launch New Public Safety Partnership — and You Can Apply

The Tacoma Police Department is launching a new program designed to bring residents and police leadership together regularly — before their first interaction happens during an emergency or crisis.

The Tacoma Public Safety Partnership (TPSP) is an 18-month pilot program focused on education, transparency, relationship-building and dialogue between Tacoma community members, TPD leadership and police employee representatives. Police Chief Patti Jackson presented the initiative to the Tacoma City Council on Aug. 18.

The idea is relatively straightforward: give Tacoma residents an opportunity to learn more about how their police department works while also creating a forum where community members and police leaders can talk directly with one another.

Participants will meet monthly with TPD leadership and subject-matter experts. According to the City, meetings will include case-study reviews, educational presentations and open conversations between participants and police leadership.

TPD says it hopes to draw people from a variety of backgrounds and community groups. Its application specifically asks whether applicants are residents, students, business owners, volunteers or involved with faith communities, education, nonprofits, neighborhood councils, youth organizations, behavioral health or public safety.

This isn't simply a series of public drop-in meetings. Interested residents must apply, and appointment to the partnership isn't guaranteed. Those selected are expected to attend orientation and monthly meetings, participate respectfully, listen to differing perspectives and maintain confidentiality when appropriate.

The application also asks some fairly substantive questions, including why applicants want to participate, what experiences and perspectives they would bring, what they hope to learn and what they've learned from working with people whose views differ from their own.

Chief Jackson says the goal is to create relationships before they're needed during difficult circumstances. The broader mission, according to TPD, is to increase mutual understanding, improve transparency, encourage constructive dialogue and support continuous improvement.

For Tacoma residents who've wanted more direct access to the people making public-safety decisions — or simply want to better understand how TPD operates — this appears to be an unusually hands-on opportunity.

👉 Applications are being accepted now. Click here to apply.