10
03
2008
Houston Police Department blog lauds mediation
Posted by: Diane Levin in Blogs and Bloggers, Mediation, Mediators in the News
I came across a post titled, “ADR Mediation: A Valuable Tool“, and found it irresistible for two reasons.
Reason 1: It describes an ADR program underway in Houston to provide opportunities for dialogue and improved relationships through mediation between members of the public and employees of the Houston Police Department.
Reason 2: I learned that the chief of police of a major U.S. city blogs. He was the one who posted the article.
Kudos to Houston for the mediation program and the blog.
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March 11th, 2008 at 3:59 pm
Hi, Diane!
San Francisco has a similar program. I serve occasionally as a volunteer mediator for the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC). Here’s some info from its website:
“The OCC has a mediation program which enables complainants to resolve their issues with the accused officer in a face to face dispute resolution process involving a trained mediator. The goal of the program is to bring together the involved parties in an effort to achieve mutual understanding. Mediation is limited to eligible cases as determined by the OCC and must be agreed to by both the complainant and the accused officer. Cases that are successfully mediated are not considered disciplinary proceedings in an officer’s record reserved.”
In my experience, and in talking with other mediators, many of these mediations end with increased understanding and a handshake.