The Castle Shannon Borough Police Department Joins National ABLE Project

Link to WPXI story here: https://www.wpxi.com/news/local/allegheny-county/castle-shannon-police-d...

September 13, 2021 – The Castle Shannon Borough Police Department has been accepted into the Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement (ABLE) Project™, Georgetown University Law Center’s national training and support initiative for U.S. law enforcement agencies committed to building a culture of peer intervention that prevents harm. 

By demonstrating a firm commitment to transformational reform with support from local community groups and elected leaders, The Castle Shannon Police Department joins a select group of more than 180 other law enforcement agencies and statewide and regional training academies from across the country and in Canada.

CSPD is the first local law enforcement agency in Western Pennsylvania to complete training the entire agency in ABLE.

The other agencies accepted into the program from Pennsylvania are:

• Allentown Police Department
• Philadelphia Police Department
• Southern Chester County Regional Police Department (Landenberg)
• University of Pennsylvania Police Department (Philadelphia)
• University of Pittsburgh Police Department
• Wilkes University Police (Wilkes Barre)

Backed by prominent civil rights and law enforcement leaders, the evidence-based, field-tested ABLE Project was developed by Georgetown Law’s Innovative Policing Program in collaboration with global law firm Sheppard Mullin LLP to provide practical active bystandership strategies and tactics to law enforcement officers to prevent misconduct, reduce mistakes, and promote health and wellness. 

ABLE gives officers the tools they need to overcome the innate and powerful inhibitors all individuals face when called upon to intervene in actions taken by their peers.

Chief of Police Ken Truver said seeking inclusion to join the ABLE Project reflected important priorities for the Castle Shannon Police Department.

“I serve on boards of several Law Enforcement Leadership Associations and we are promoting this common sense training at the regional, state and national levels. ” said Chief Truver. “I believe you will begin to see this important program gain momentum in our profession.”

Those backing the Castle Shannon Police Department’s application to join the program included The Castle Shannon Revitalization Corporation, The Salvation Army Pittsburgh Temple Corps Advisory Council, Castle Shannon Mayor Donald Baumgarten, and Borough Acting Manager Loretta Miller who wrote letters of support.

“Project ABLE falls in line with the goals and objectives of the Castle Shannon Police Department…”, wrote Mayor Baumgarten, “ …as well as my goal of giving first responders all of the resources needed to protect them so they can remain physically, emotionally, and mentally prepared to protect our citizens.”

Professor Christy Lopez, co-director of Georgetown Law’s Innovative Policing Program, which runs ABLE, explained: “The ABLE Project seeks to ensure every police officer in the United States has the opportunity to receive meaningful, effective active bystandership training, and to help agencies transform their approach to policing by building a culture that supports and sustains successful peer intervention to prevent harm.” 

Chair of the ABLE Project Board of Advisors, Sheppard Mullin partner Jonathan Aronie, added: “Intervening in another’s action is harder than it looks after the fact, but it’s a skill we all can learn.  And, frankly, it’s a skill we all need – police and non-police.  ABLE teaches that skill.”

The ABLE Project is guided by a Board of Advisors comprised of civil rights, social justice, and law enforcement leaders, including Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Commissioner Danielle Outlaw of the Philadelphia Police Department; Dr. Ervin Staub, professor emeritus at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the founder of the Psychology of Peace and Justice Program; and an impressive collection of other police leaders, rank and file officers, and social justice leaders. 

• See the complete list of the ABLE Project Board of Advisors.
• For more information about the ABLE Project, visit the program’s website.
• See a list of the ABLE Standards to which every participating agency must adhere.
• These articles share more information about active bystandership generally, and the ABLE Project in particular.
   

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For more information regarding the Castle Shannon Police Department contact Chief Ken Truver.

For more information on the ABLE Project, contact Liza, ABLE Program Associate, at LBA17@georgetown.edu or Lisa, ABLE Project Director, at Lisa.Kurtz@georgetown.edu.