Following the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, JGPR worked with the Rhode Island Police Chiefs’ Association (RIPCA) to launch the Twenty for 2020 Campaign. The campaign is a list of 20 promises and policy amendments set collectively by Rhode Island’s 48 police chiefs. Among those promises are commitments to open book policies and procedures, better communication with the public and further training on diversity, implicit biases, and procedural justice. The campaign aims to both defend the profession of policing, as well as create sustained action toward greater police legitimacy in the eyes of all Rhode Islanders.
The Twenty for 2020 campaign included several weeks of planning among state law enforcement leaders regarding a statewide strategy, approach and response to public safety and policing as a result of the killing of George Floyd and other acts of overt racism, systemic racism and police brutality across the nation. The campaign launched in June 2020 as the leaders of each Rhode Island municipal and campus police department, as well as Rhode Island State Police, came together at a press conference to announce the promises and policy changes to be enacted at every agency in the state and formally sign the program documents. All of Rhode Island’s television news outlets, as well as print outlets from around the region attended the press conference.
JGPR also produced the complete 58-page Twenty for 2020 campaign document, featuring a bold logo. The document includes a statement of each campaign principle, an explanation of each of the 20 promises and policy amendments, and a list of each Rhode Island law enforcement leader who signed onto the campaign. To promote transparency, it concludes with an appendix of documents such as the Rhode Island Use of Force Policy and RIPCA Body Camera White Paper & Recommendations. An infographic was also included in the campaign which clearly and concisely outlined the campaign principles and its policies and amendments.
Finally, JGPR produced a two-and-a-half minute public service announcement video about the campaign to be shared by police departments across the state as part of their efforts to spread awareness about the campaign and its importance. The video features RIPCA leaders and chiefs from across Rhode Island speaking about the campaign and what it represents.