Police versus community-- images that have become all too familiar.

but in Los Angeles, new approaches prove that the two sides can work together.

He llo, I'm Bonnie Boswell.

My guests today are two people who've been on the front line of police/community transformation Connie Rice is a civil rights lawyer called, "The Voice of LA's Oppressed."

and Fernando Rejon is the CEO of the Urban Peace Institute So, Connie, you successfully sued cops in LA for years but then, you decided maybe that wasn't quite enough.

Nothing was changing on the ground so we said, "go to a public health model and let's build the relationship."

We had officers with us to help create that plan.

and the Urban Peace Institute grew out of the mission Fernando, did I describe it right?

What I think makes Urban Peace unique is that really that connection to the ground.

Individual transition for former gang members to become peace makers.

Even law enforcement transforming from being former crash cops now to being advocates for community-based safety efforts.

So, Fernando, in your opinion, I w ant to know how we create meaningful change in policing?

The time is now in this country for law enforcement to pivot and change the ways it engages with communities.

You need to have that mutual accountability.

In South LA, there was a joint report by USC, UCLA, and Cal State (LA) looking at the impact of gang intervention in South LA found was when LAPD alone responds to a gang-related homicide the chance of retaliation was 24%.

Howeever, when LAPD and gang intervention th e likelyhood of retalitory homicide drops to below 1%.

We know how to fix this problem the question is whether there's political will to carry out the solutions.

Well, thank you Connie Rice and Fernando Rejon for your truly groundbreaking work.

Next week is the final episode of "Policing in America" and you don't want to miss it.

For PBS SoCal, I'm Bonnie Boswell.