Faxon Law Group Invests $25,000 in 'Cops & Kids' Program

From Faxon Law Group: Faxon Law Group, widely known for its dynamic generosity in the community and long-time sponsorship of the New Haven Road Race, announced a timely new partnership aiming to improve community relations between law enforcement and neighborhood youth in some of the toughest districts in New Haven.

The Cops & Kids program is a video-based initiative that uses the power of candid thoughts and emotions captured in individual workshops to effectively break down barriers between young people and law enforcement in the community. This teaching tool, dubbed the Circle of Conversation, facilitates an understanding between the groups as they discuss issues such as aggression, fear, racial stereotypes, mistrust, and other perceptions commonly experienced in the world around them. The cops and kids then collaborate on a project, or action plan, to benefit the community and bring the two groups closer together.

Created at the request of the New Haven Police Department and filmed at PAL Camp in New Haven, Cops & Kids was quickly endorsed by Mayor Harp and the City of New Haven. It just lacked one thing necessary for its next phase: money. Enter Faxon Law Group partners Joel Faxon, Eric Smith, and Tim Pothin who recently revamped their giving policy to maximize impact using the firm’s Community Builder──a concept that focuses not only on monetary funding but also social support and networking between grass roots organizations seeking to empower, enrich, enlighten and engage our community. The Cops & Kids program met all the firm’s criteria and was a great fit in the partners’ eyes who have some experience in law enforcement as well. They agreed to underwrite the first district for $25,000.

“We are honored to be the first to pilot this program in the Westville district,” said Faxon. “We know tensions between youth and law enforcement are at an all-time high. And, if we’ve learned anything through the work we do in trial law, it’s that nothing can be resolved without dialogue. Dialogue in conflict is what yields healing. So we are so excited to see what kind of positive momentum we can begin with Cops & Kids in New Haven and strongly encourage other businesses to show their support in the remaining districts.”

To learn more about Faxon Law Group’s Community Builder and their commitment to Cops & Kids, contact Christina at cacampora@faxonlawgroup.com.

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