The Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT) was established in 2020 as an independent body to provide a single point of entry for individuals with concerns or complaints related to the Boston Police Department (the “BPD”) sworn and civilian personnel to be heard and responded to. OPAT consists of an administrative staff and three boards comprised of community members appointed by the Mayor of Boston to achieve its goals. In addition, OPAT reviews and makes recommendations on BPD rules and policies and generates public reports on OPAT’s work and BPD activity.

Under the general direction of the Chief of Staff, the Community Engagement Coordinator will develop outreach strategies to engage diverse community groups, build relationships with organizations, facilitate communication between police and community members, organize events and workshops, collect feedback, advocate for community concerns, monitor police-community relations, collaborate with stakeholders, and evaluate engagement efforts.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will work to strengthen community involvement with OPAT's Community Mediator and Executive Assistant. They will collaborate on joint outreach events, social media campaigns, and workshops to raise awareness of OPAT's role and encourage youth participation in discussions about policing. Additionally, they will visit schools and community centers and support youth-focused initiatives to promote positive relationships between young people and law enforcement. By combining resources and expertise, they can enhance outreach efforts, build stronger connections with youth communities, and promote transparency and dialogue in policing practices.

The Community Engagement Coordinator will help build a strong connection between the police and the community. This role involves organizing and facilitating regular town hall meetings, community forums, and listening sessions to promote open dialogue and address community concerns. The Coordinator will also lead community policing initiatives and collaborate with local organizations to integrate officers into neighborhoods. Effective use of social media and other communication channels is essential to ensure transparency and keep the public informed about our efforts and outcomes. The ultimate goal is to build trust and improve community relations, understanding of OPAT, and create a cooperative environment for shared goals of safety and accountability.

• Develops effective community outreach and education plans, strategies, and messaging for OPAT, informed by internal/external stakeholders, under the direction of the Executive Director or Designee; this includes but is not limited to OPAT events.
  
• Develops and implements events, presentations, and activities that inform the public about the policies, programs, and services the Office offers with a focus on hard-to-reach populations, especially those with limited English proficiency.
  
• Develops and implements engagement strategies that are inclusive and accessible to all stakeholders.
  
• Responds in a timely and effective way to all OPAT’s emails from Boston’s residents, including referrals from the Mayor’s Office, 311, and other City departments, and provides follow-up when needed.
  
• Develops media and messaging to reach residents across the City.
  
• Develops materials for community organizing, outreach, and education efforts, and all educational literature for the Office; ensures materials are available for distribution at events and other City services as requested.
  
• Creates and provides developmental training, workshops, and educational programs.
  
• Develops and distributes press releases, service announcements, brochures, flyers, and newsletters in physical and electronic form. Documents, monitors, and reports outreach and education data, assessing efforts to identify gaps and recommending activities, initiatives, procedures, or protocols for improving efficiency and outcomes.
  
• Works collaboratively with the Black Male Advancement team as needed and required.
• Prepares reports that debrief community meetings and presents them before the applicable boards and commissions.
  
• Develops knowledge of available resources and builds strong partnerships with internal City of Boston and external community-based referral partners to support clear referral systems for immigrant residents.
  
• Contributes to initiatives aimed at expanding and strengthening community awareness of and access to OPAT’s services, with focused engagement of communities of color, immigrant communities, LGBTQ+ communities, and other underserved and related communities not currently connected to OPAT.
  
• Supports OPAT’s intake and referral processes for Boston's residents.
  
• Supports the OPAT team with community outreach and engagement activities, including attending community events and resource fairs, as well as participating in the delivery of constituent services locally within community spaces.
  
• Coordinates, facilitates, attends, and supports meetings, workshops, conferences, and other events.
  
• Responsible for community engagement initiatives such as the Youth Council and any future initiatives.
  
• Supports the recruitment and supervision of outreach and education interns, fellows, and contract positions.
  
• Builds and maintains relationships with community members, stakeholders, and organizations.
  
• Facilitates communication between the Boston Police Department (BPD), OPAT, and the community.
  
• Gathers and analyzes feedback from community members.
  
• Advocates for community interests and concerns within the City of Boston to internal stakeholders, including management, decision-makers, and relevant departments within BPD.
  
• Monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of community engagement initiatives.
  
• Stays informed about relevant community issues, trends, and developments.
  
• Effective execution of job duties requires evening and weekend participation.
  
• Performs related duties as required.

• At least three (3) years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in community outreach or related roles.
• A bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., communications, social work) may be substituted for two (2) years of the required experience.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.
  
• Commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion.
  
• Knowledge of local community dynamics.
  
• Exercise confidentiality and discretion with highly sensitive information and demonstrate sound judgment.
  
• Ability to be flexible when problem-solving and come up with creative solutions.
  
• Demonstrated interest in social justice reform and has shown it in the public sector.
  
• Ability to work under pressure and in high-stress situations.
  
• Strong constituent services skills.
  
• Bilingual preferred (Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese, and Vietnamese).
  
• Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
  
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.
  
• Ability to be resourceful and proactive when issues arise.
  
• Ability to maintain well-organized case files and other materials.
  
• Experience with Microsoft Office and Google Suite is preferred.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED

Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade: Non-Union/MM2-4

Hours per week: 35