Priorities for Chili & Monroe County
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Law enforcement is for the community, and so it needs to be accountable to the communities it serves. Without dialogue between community members and law enforcement officials, there is no way that law enforcement can know if it is truly effective – or what it can do better. As a retired police sergeant and member of the Chili community, Marvin Stepherson is looking forward to starting this dialogue – so that the criminal justice system can better aid the people it serves.
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Law enforcement is intended to keep communities safe. However, due to a system that encourages over-enforcement of communities along racial and economic lines, it is often difficult for people to trust the officers who should be present to help them. But just as trust is broken, it can be mended. Marvin Stepherson is committed to reforming policing so that the direction law enforcement takes comes from within the community itself and recognizes its individual needs.
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Tension between law enforcement and community members can often come about through a disconnect in philosophies. Though a community often wants guardians – protectors who uplift them and prioritize their safety – law enforcement officers are often trained to think of themselves as warriors in a larger battle against crime. One of the first steps toward bridging the current gaps between law enforcement and communities is to change the idea of what being a law enforcement officer means. With over two decades of years of experience as a police sergeant and trainer – but also as a father and member of the community, Marvin Stepherson is ready to start the hard conversations necessary to make sure that everyone can feel safe with the officers meant to be their protectors.
Criminal Justice Reform
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Law enforcement is a hard, at times, dangerous job, and often it can take a heavy toll on those who choose to do it. The National Institute of Health states that, although police officers are among those most at risk for mental health issues, there are often significant structural challenges – most of all, stigma –that prevent them from accessing mental health care. With 25 years of experience as a sergeant and trainer, Marvin Stepherson has seen the cost of mental health stigma and is committed to reform. He is ready to change the culture around mental health in policing – so that it is as readily accepted for officers to take care of their minds as it is to train their bodies.
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To serve in the military is to risk life and limb for the idea of what this nation is. The unique dangers and hardships that come with this work, however, cause veterans to be at greater risk for mental health conditions. Treatment for these conditions, though, can be hard to find, with the current system unable to meet veterans’ needs with promptness and respect.
As a retired military veteran in two branches of service, Marvin Stepherson feels strongly that the resources former service members need should be readily accessible to them, and he is committed to ensuring that Chili supports the mental health of its veteran community.
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Though anyone can be affected by mental health conditions, not everyone has access to the resources that they need. The mental health of African American and Latin American people – particularly men – is often overlooked in our community, and it can be hard for people who are struggling not only to find resources but to find resources that respect and honor who they are. African and Latin American people deserve better and Marvin Stepherson is ready, as Monroe County Legislator, to increase the presence and accessibility of diverse, respectful mental health care in the Chili community.
Mental Health Reform
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Prices are rising, and more than ever, households are finding it hard to afford healthy meals. This is especially a problem in food deserts, where quality fruits and vegetables are not easy to come by. Though farmers’ markets can connect families with fresh, affordable produce, they are often not located in areas accessible by public transportation. As Monroe County Legislator, Marvin Stepherson would add a stop on local bus lines for local farmers’ markets – not only increasing their accessibility to the community but also drawing in more business for local agriculture.
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Community gardens are a proven way for households within food deserts to take charge of their health and create their own fresh and affordable produce. More than that, they allow neighborhoods to flourish around growing something that will last for generations! Marvin Stepherson is committed to the establishment of more community gardens throughout the Chili area – especially where there is limited access to fresh produce – in order to make certain everyone has access to healthy meals.
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Did you know that you can grow fruits and vegetables from scraps of food that would normally be thrown out? Recycling these scraps is an effective and affordable way to start a garden, especially in communities where fresh and affordable produce would otherwise be unavailable. As Monroe County Legislator, Marvin Stepherson will lead a kitchen scrap garden project in the Chili community, empowering local families to grow their own healthy meals.
