United States Department of Justice, COPS Office is partnering with "Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness"

The new PBS documentary special “Not in Our Town: Light In The Darkness” tells the story of a town standing together to take action after the hate crime killing of a local immigrant by seven high school students devastates the community.  In conjunction with the September 21st national PBS broadcast, local communities are invited to host free public screenings and discussions of the program during Not In Our Town National Week of Action, September 18th – 24th, and beyond. The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is partnering with the campaign to help spread positive models of police-community partnerships.

Learn More:  http://cops.usdoj.gov/html/dispatch/08-2011/COPS-Partners-with-Not-In-Our-Town.asp

More About the Film

In 2008, a series of attacks against Latino residents of Patchogue, New York culminated in the murder of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant who had lived in the Long Island village for 13 years.  Over a two-year period, the story follows Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri, the victim’s brother, Joselo Lucero, and diverse community residents as they address the underlying causes of the violence, heal divisions, and begin taking steps to ensure everyone in their village will be safe and respected.  In response to the murder, the Suffolk County Police Department assigned two Spanish-speaking officers to Patchogue to conduct outreach to the frightened Latino immigrant community, and local officers actively participated in community-wide dialogues and other activities. The Patchogue story demonstrates that hate is a community challenge requiring active partnerships between law enforcement, civic leaders, local organizations and residents. Learn more and watch the film trailer at NIOT.org/LightInTheDarkness.

Request a free “Not In Our Town: Light In The Darkness” DVD, screening kit and discussion guide at http://www.niot.org/lightinthedarkness/screenings, and collaborate with community partners to host a public screening event during Not In Our Town Week of Action, or later.