State College man continues work to bring law enforcement, social justice advocates together
Strategies for Justice founder Terry Watson knows his work would be unnecessary in an equitable world, but that isn’t the case.
The New York native who moved to Happy Valley more than a decade ago has instead played a central role in bridging the gap between Black Lives Matter and “blue lives matter” supporters.
“In a perfect world, my work won’t be relevant. Unfortunately, right now, that’s not where we’re at,” Watson said. “I always want to think that we get to the point where we are ‘there,’ whether it’s racial equity, gender equity or disability equity. But the balance is always looking at the important questions that we have to ask.”
Watson’s family has a rich history in law enforcement that dates back to the 18th century.
His great-grandfather Moses P. Cobb was one of the first Black men to join the Brooklyn Police Department, which merged with the New York Police Department. He was also the first Black police officer to serve a full career in New York City.
Watson’s great-uncle Samuel J. Battle was the department’s first Black sergeant and lieutenant.
Their experiences inspired Watson, 39, to establish in 2019 a speaking and training organization focused on issues of equity within law enforcement.
The goal, Watson said, is to unveil stories of injustice as a foundation for meaningful reform. He’s worked with each police department in the Centre Region, including State College police in the weeks after an officer fatally shot Osaze Osagie.
There is a lot of work to be done, but Watson said the most pressing hurdle for all police departments to clear is understanding generational trauma between communities of color and police.
“I don’t think police departments are there yet, including State College and any police department in Centre County,” Watson said. “The opportunity is there. But if they want to either bridge that gap or want to have a community in which people of color feel comfortable interacting with police, the first thing they’re going to have to understand is the generational trauma that currently exists between police and communities of color.”
An inaugural symposium expected to bring together law enforcement and social justice advocates is scheduled to begin Thursday. Registration for the three-day event titled “Change isn’t easy, but it’s necessary” is required.
The online event is sponsored by State College and Penn State police.
“We are proud to be a part of the dialogue and to work alongside our fellow community members in order to make meaningful change,” Penn State police and public safety Associate Vice President Charlie Noffsinger said in a statement. “We recognize that working toward social justice does not occur through one act or one event.”
Penn State police diversity, equity and inclusion Director Iris Richardson knew Watson for about a decade before she stepped into her new role. That relationship and a shared goal of equitable policing led to a seamless pairing.
Change isn’t easy, Richardson wrote, but it’s necessary now more than ever.
“It is important to continue to educate, engage in dialogue and provide strategies to help bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement,” Richardson wrote. “I hope the community embraces the opportunities he is bringing and challenges themselves to want to be more and do more.”
For more information and to register for the symposium, visit www.strategiesjustice.com/symposium.