Reedley Police Department: Reedley, California
Reedley Peace Building Initiative: Implementing Restorative Justice
Problem Solving:
In a society with an ever increasing burden on our Criminal Justice System, law
enforcement is challenged to find solutions that will enhance our communities, not continue to
allow them to deteriorate. The current Criminal Justice System as we know it has evolved into a
process where dealing with offenders is the primary focus, with little time spent on the needs of
the victim and restoring any wrongs within the community. The Reedley Police Department has
taken a forward step toward alternate solutions in addressing juvenile crime while embracing the
philosophy of restorative justice and community restoration as a whole. The implementation of the
Reedley Peace Building Initiative (R.P.B.I.) has been successful through organizational
transformation and by implementing a restorative justice based program that goes beyond the
bounds of traditional training and law enforcement protocol.
The City of Reedley experienced a rise in violent gang crime in 2009/2010 resulting in 5
homicides during that period of time. A sharp increase from prior years in a community of
approximately 24,000. As a means to providing alternatives to criminal offenses at the juvenile
level, a restorative justice model was established as an option to address juvenile conflict in a more
meaningful way. Suppression of gang violence is only one facet of addressing the community
issues, there must also be education and intervention. Ultimately, a means by which to mentor
young offenders how to respond to conflict and ultimately resolve conflict.
The Reedley Peace Building Initiative (RPBI) is a restorative justice process modeled from the
Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP). Restorative justice is a process whereby all
parties with a stake in a particular offense come together to resolve collectively how to deal with
the aftermath of an offense and its implications for the future, focusing on repairing the relationship
at the same time. The offense is mediated between the offender, victim and a qualified conflict
mediator. The outcome is a contract signed between both parties in which they agree on how to
restore the damage caused by the offense. In many cases entire families (parents, siblings) will
become involved in the conflict resolution as well.
The Reedley Peace Building Initiative was implemented in 2010 as a criminal justice tool
designed to serve the victims and juvenile offenders of the Reedley community. It began as a
partnership with the Reedley Police Department and the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC),
which is a world-wide faith based relief and development organization. The partnership with MCC
has allowed for increased participation from faith based organizations which have not been
traditional partners in law enforcement program collaborations historically.
There are many viable options within the RPBI program. It is a flexible and beneficial
option to juvenile offenders who commit lower level crimes such as vandalism, graffiti, theft,
curfew violations and minor physical altercations. The goal of the restorative process is to allow
for accountability and ultimately redirect a juvenile offender from traveling down a path of
criminal behavior. In many cases the results could include monitored community service hours,
monetary restitution, letters of apology, attending self-help and life skills courses or other similar
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programs. The benefit for all stakeholders is that a relationship can be created or repaired, and for
the offender, the criminal charge does not reflect on their permanent record.
Partnership with the Community:
In keeping with the COPS philosophy, “Community policing is a philosophy that promotes
organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem solving
techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues
such as crime, social disorder and fear of crime’’, the Reedley Police Department understands the
importance of community partnerships. The foundation for the Reedley Peace Building Initiative
are the individual community members who have volunteered to participate as mediators for the
program. The mediations that result from the caseload generated by both the Reedley Police
Department officers and the Restorative Justice Coordinator on the Reedley High School campus
could not be managed if the process relied on existing personnel. This factor is why a volunteer
mediator base is so crucial to the success of this program through enlisting community
involvement.
This restorative justice process allows for community to take care of community.
Responsibility lies within members of Reedley’s community who volunteer to assist with
mediation, provide community service options and supervision and mentoring opportunities. The
goal of this program is to provide services locally so all affected parties can resolve these issues
without the added burden and cost of driving to the metropolitan area of Fresno, where most
criminal and social services are located.
An advertising campaign through local media sources, local faith based groups, community
organizations and the Kings Canyon Unified School district has yielded a large number of qualified
mediator candidates. Upon acceptance as a mediator into the RPBI team, the individual mediators
receive 16 hours of conflict resolution training which is hosted and paid for by the Reedley Police
Department and M.C.C., There is no cost to the mediators to become members. Currently the
qualified mediator list for the R.P.B.I. program has grown to over 50 participants. This has been
an excellent mechanism by which the community can have a direct effect on the health of the
community and its youth.
Community Service options are a large component of the process by which offenders are
held accountable for their actions. These community service options are agreed upon and
ultimately documented in the contract between the victim and offender. The greater Reedley
community has responded overwhelmingly by providing community service options and
supervision of offenders while serving their required hours. This is also an opportunity for an
offender to have positive contact and reinforcement from community members they may have not
otherwise had an opportunity to connect with. Below are the community members who have
agreed to partner with the Reedley Peace Building Initiative: Nearly New Thrift Store, Salvation
Army, St. Anthony Catholic Church, El Faro Church, City of Reedley, Reedley Fire Department,
Reedley Community Center, NAJA Basketball Program, IMPACT program, Boys and Girls Club
of America, Reedley High School Janitorial Service, St. Anthony Food Center Service, Mercado
La Flor market and Squaw Valley Post Office.
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Partnership with Public and Private Organizations:
Efforts to gain national attention to the Reedley Peace Building Initiative and the
collaboration with MCC (faith based organization) and the local Victim Services Collaborative
culminated in September 2011. Reedley Police Chief Joe Garza, Lieutenant Marc Ediger, Reedley
Mayor Mary Fast, MCC Coordinator Sheri Plett Wiedenhoefer and Restorative Justice
Coordinator John Swenning traveled as a united front to Washington D.C. to meet with a host of
congressional leaders. The goal of this effort was to spotlight attention at the congressional level
to show that a restorative justice program such as RPBI can have a large scale positive impact on
community and relationships. During the Washington visit, the Reedley group met with the offices
of Representative Jeff Denham, Senator Robert Casey, Representative Devin Nunes, Senator
Dianne Feinstein, and the Democratic Judiciary Council. The interest and support at the national
congressional level showed the possibility in future endeavors for funding to be released at the
federal level for restorative justice programs that would enhance and repair communities.
In March 2012, the Reedley Police Department participated in the first annual Day of
Justice held in Fresno, California. The Day of Justice conference was collaborated among several
key local agencies, both public and private. The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) was
instrumental in the collaboration and organization. The focus of the Day of Justice panel was the
concept that “Restorative Justice Works” and could be a groundbreaking effort in reducing crime,
conflict and an overload on the criminal justice system.
The primary members of the Justice Panel were as follows: Reedley Police Department
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP), Fresno
Pacific University, Fresno Police Department, Fresno County Sheriff’s Department, Fresno
County District Attorney, Juvenile Probation, Public Defender’s Office, Fresno Unified School
District, Association for Conflict Resolution and The California Endowment. The Reedley Police
Department’s collaboration with the Reedley Peace Building Initiative project was outlined during
this Justice Panel to the show the success of a restorative justice program at a local level, having
positive impacts on local community. The Honorable Judge David Gotlieb was a strong supporter
and participant with the Day of Justice as well.
Credited to a large community outreach and organizational support over the past two years,
the partnerships within RPBI have increased significantly. The Kings Canyon Unified School
District which consists of 19 school campuses with an overall student population of 10,000,
including Reedley High School (student body in excess of 2,000) in and around the City of
Reedley, partnered in 2012. The school district has chosen to collaborate with the Reedley Peace
Building Initiative by assisting in funding a Restorative Justice Coordinator which manages the
caseload of juvenile crime which occurs on school campus. This is in addition to a Reedley
Juvenile Detective position that works closely with the Restorative Justice Coordinator.
The Reedley Rotary service club requested to partner with the Reedley Peace Building
Initiative in 2012 as an avenue to interact in a positive way with the community and complete their
yearly mission of “Peace through Service.” The Rotary club has provided support through
volunteer mediators who have been trained in conflict resolution.
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The following community organizations have also played a large role in offering support
and community members who are willing to be trained conflict mediators: Immanuel High School
(private school) Reedley Victim’s Service Collaborative, Marjoree Mason Center, Life Arrow (life
skills program), Rape Counseling Service, Reedley College Upward Bound, First Mennonite
Church, Reedley Peace Center, Adventist Health, Reedley Kiwanas, Chamber of Commerce,
Reedley Downtown Association and Fresno Pacific University. The list of partners and supporters
of this restorative justice initiative have continued to increase, as positive feedback and
involvement happens within the community.
Institutionalization:
The Reedley Police Department provides service to the City of Reedley which has a
population of approximately 24,842 residents. The Department consists of 32 sworn law
enforcement personnel and 16 professional staff members. The RPBI program is a process in
which all sworn officers have been trained and understand the philosophy of restorative justice.
When making contact with a juvenile offender of a misdemeanor crime, the officer has the
authority to direct the criminal case into the RPBI program rather than the traditional court system.
Internally, the RPBI process has been integrated as a core program within the Reedley
Police Department over the past three years. Currently the program is coordinated by the Support
Services Division Commander (Lieutenant). An Administrative Sergeant is placed in charge of
overseeing the monthly caseload on both the Police side and the School District side. Caseload
generated by police officers on the street are kept separate from caseload that is generated from a
criminal violation occurring on a school campus. This process allows for bifurcation of certain
specific issues and for school officials to play a more direct role in determining outcomes.
Working directly under the Administrative Sergeant is one Victim Services Community
Service Officer and one Restorative Justice Coordinator that handle caseload. Those two positions
are paramount in determining which cases are eligible for mediation and conflict resolution. Once
a case is selected, a volunteer mediator is selected from the community panel who then takes
responsibility for mediation and drafting of a contract between victim and offender. (Flow chart
of internal process is attached)
From an agency viewpoint, the RPBI program is one that has affected every level within
the police organization. The Chief of Police and Division Commander have participated in many
community outreach presentations that underline the goals of the program and the crucial impact
of direct community involvement. The Officers and Staff within the Reedley Police Department
now have more direct contact with community members and volunteer mediators to determine
direction and best possible outcomes in juvenile criminal cases. The Reedley Police Department
has a direct General Order addressing the implementation and procedures for the Reedley Peace
Building Initiative process.
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Results:
“Restorative Justice is about giving our youth a second chance, creating opportunity for
healthier communities.” Giving them this second chance has contributed to building a healthier
Reedley community. The opportunities that arise when someone can take ownership of an offense
and still be accepted into the community builds confidence and a sense of appreciation in our
young people. Through this restorative process the goal is to continue to reduce crime rates overall,
continue to reduce criminal cases forwarded to courts, and create healthier families that will
contribute back to their community.
Since the implementation of the Reedley Peace Building Initiative there have been numerous
significant positive outcomes that are directly related to community policing philosophy and the
overall health of the City of Reedley:

Over 50 volunteer mediators trained in conflict mediation and resolution
o These range in a wide variety of community make-up
o Teachers, high school students, college students, business owners, service club
members, faith based members, government employees
 80+ misdemeanor criminal cases successfully mediated with positive resolutions
o Offenders not admitted into the criminal justice system to be exposed to other
offenders or negative influences
 90+ offenders were able to resolve conflict and repair harm caused to crime victims
 Kings Canyon Unified suspension rate at Reedley High School decreased 38%
o 401 suspensions in 2010 / 2011 reduced to 250 suspensions in 2012/2013
 Kings Canyon Unified expulsion rate at Reedley High School decreased 78%
o 94 expulsions in 2010/2011 reduced to 20 expulsions in 2012/2013
 Large community support to become involved in mediating conflict city wide
 Program operates on no additional funding from Police Department
o Volunteer mediator base has been foundation for success
o Community has taken ownership to help repair damage and resolve conflict
 Fewer cases input into an overburdened criminal justice system
 Fewer juvenile offenders being exposed to other criminal offenders and negative influence
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