September 19, 2017
After our first research process, we successfully gathered 1,236 people at Central United Methodist Church for Justice Knox’ first Nehemiah Action Assembly on April 24, 2016, to press for justice in our city. In our mental health campaign, with this Assembly gathered, Justice Knox leaders secured commitments from Police Chief Rausch and Sheriff Jones that they would train 100% of law enforcement in Crisis Intervention Team training and a commitment from Sheriff Jones that he would hire Leon Evans, an expert in designing an effective mental health system, to come to Knoxville to evaluate our system and make next-step recommendations. In our Education campaign, school board members who had committed to participate in the Assembly made last minute decisions not to participate. Still, the Assembly got the attention of the school system and we had follow up meetings to discuss our Education Action asks within a week of the Assembly. We continue to follow up on both issue campaigns.
