Program areas at LEAP
Media - in 2022, leap speakers appeared on major network and cable television, radio, and web outlets as well as in newspapers, documentaries, and press conferences. A few of the top outlets included: associated press, al jazeera english,cnn, the hill, la times, msnbc, the nation, nbc, new york times, ny daily news, ny post, npr, pbs, the wall street journal, the Washington post, and vice. Our opeds ran in outlets across the country. Our work in California centered harm reduction efforts, including working to pass legislation to legalize and operate overdose prevention centers. Elsewhere, we played an integral part of juvenile justice reforms, including efforts to end juvenile life without parole and excessive fines and fees. Our work around the country on qualified immunity reform continued. We did extensive work on written testimony in opposition to the fdas proposed menthol cigarette ban, and we worked to oppose state and local measures to institute a ban as well.
Community responder project - we spoke one-on-one with officials from over 20 cities to help advise them on creating a civilian first responder program for low-risk 911 calls, which we call a "community responder model."
Speaker's bureau - the program department researched, recruited, and trained 11 new speakers, who are police, prosecutors, sheriffs, probation officers, and corrections officials. The department also made new connections with representatives from 27 ally organizations to inform them about how leap speakers can support their efforts. Many of the speakers bureau and legislative opportunities came to us by way of these ally connections. Leap's volunteer Law Enforcement speakers were featured at 42 events held by ally organizations and other event hosts, including in-person and virtual panel presentations, speeches, hearings, and town halls. On another 68 occasions, leap speakers delivered written testimony, made phone calls and wrote letters to key officials, signed amicus briefs, and provided feedback on legislation.