The opportunity to work one on one with a fellow trying to create new and innovative ways to decrease police misconduct and increase community engagement was incredible. I was guided through research for her annual report, had my own individual final project, and learned that I am still only at the cusp of understanding enough information to fully discuss the topic and make educational suggestions.
What I wish was different
Since it was remote, I was unable to interact with other people in the office or to connect with the community which would normally go hand in hand with this position, but with the pandemic this was obviously a necessary precaution.
Advice
The number of questions you will have is innumerable but make sure to ask because the complexities within the NYC justice system are too great to navigate on your own. Also when working with police reform, there is always going to be a level of frustration that accompanies it, so don’t let that dissuade you from trying to actually make changes.
