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Safe Place Initiative

Overview

This concept was developed by the Seattle Police Department in 2015 to assist the victims of Hate Crimes and Student Bullying. The Safe Place is designed to assist in making communities a safer place to live.

Nearly 340 law enforcement agencies across the Country are using the Safe Place Program. It was created to give as many people as possible within the community a safe place to go. Ultimately, this program helps build trust in migrant, immigrant, and minority communities with its police, all of which significantly under report crimes to the police out of fear of how they will be treated and if they will be taken seriously.

The Safe Place program utilizes a rainbow background but is not just for anti-LGBTQ+ bias/hate crimes. It encompasses all hate crimes, including:

  • Race
  • Color
  • Religion
  • Ancestry
  • National Origin
  • Gender
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Gender Expression
  • Gender Identity
  • Mental Disabilities
  • Physical Disabilities
  • Sensory Disabilities
  • Homelessness
  • Marital Status
  • Political Ideology
  • Age
  • Parental Status
Image of the Safe Place sticker that businesses and organizations can place on their doors/windows. It reads "Report Hate Crimes", followed by a rainbow police badge with black text that reads "Lakewood Police Department Safe Place". Beneath the shield features text reading "This location is a safe place for victims of hate crimes and harassment to call 911 and wait for police to arrive. EMERGENCY CALL 911".

How To Get Involved

Any Business, Social Organization or School can participate in the Safe Place Program if they follow these two requirements:

  1. If a victim of any crime (especially a hate crime) enters your premises, call 911 immediately.
  2. Allow the victim to remain on your premises until police arrive.

Although this is a voluntary concept, there are responsibilities to become a member of the Safe Place. It is simple, quick, and free, and just requires training/education of the employees/staff by the Police Department. To sign up, please fill out the form at the bottom of the page.

Contact

If you have questions or would like additional information about this program, email LPDSafeplace@lakewoodoh.gov.

Captain Gary Stone, LGBTQ+ Police Liaison
gary.stone@lakewoodoh.gov
(216) 529-6751

Alex Bobosky, LGBTQ+ Liaison
alex.bobosky@lakewoodoh.gov 
(216) 529-6601

Safe Place Program Registration