Community Engagement

Office of Public Affairs and External Engagement

The Office of Public Affairs and External Engagement (OPAEE) facilitates the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s engagement with the communities of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. OPAEE works to reduce and prevent violence by convening dialogue among community stakeholders, improving coordination between public safety agencies, increasing transparency and equity, and strengthening public trust. The Office’s community initiatives are divided into three sections: Law Enforcement Coordination, Public Affairs, and External Engagement.

Public Affairs

The goal of the Public Affairs team is to increase transparency with the community and highlight the work of the Office. The Public Affairs team works to improve and expand public-facing communication about the office's mission, function, and regional impact. The Public Affairs Officer is the liaison between the Office and the press.

Law Enforcement Coordination

The Law Enforcement Coordinator (LEC) works to maintain and strengthen the Office's relationships with law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels. The LEC coordinates violence prevention and intervention initiatives with agencies throughout the district.

Annual Public Safety & Community Engagement Conference

The Office hosts an annual Public Safety & Community Engagement Conference. The conference brings together representatives from federal, state, and local law enforcement, government agencies, and community organizations throughout the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to discuss, share knowledge, and collaborate on community engagement initiatives.

External Engagement

The External Engagement team supplements the USAO's mission to reduce and prevent violence by creating and maintaining connections with the communities we serve. The three main components of the unit's engagement initiatives are: reentry initiatives, community outreach, and youth engagement.

United Against Hate

In September 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the implementation of the “United Against Hate” initiative in all U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country. The United Against Hate program seeks to improve reporting of hate crimes by raising awareness and teaching community members how to identify, report, and help prevent hate crimes. Since then, the Office has hosted a number of events under the umbrella of the United Against Hate initiative.

Repairing the World Screening: In partnership with WHYY, the Office co-hosted the Philadelphia premiere of the film “Repairing the World: Stories from the Tree of Life”, a documentary about the antisemitic attack on the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh and its aftermath.

Faith Leaders Forum: The Office hosted a Faith Leaders Forum at the National Constitution Center for community leaders of all faiths in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Presentations from federal, state, and local law enforcement concerned protection for houses of worship.

Love & Light Tour

The Office's Love & Light Tour initiative allows us to spotlight and recognize those remarkable individuals or organizations that embody love, light, and upliftment in our community. This year, we received nominations from community members all over the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, who put forward individuals and organizations dedicated to fostering a safer and more harmonious community. This work is not easy, and those committed face many challenges. It’s for that very reason our Office has made it a priority to highlight this remarkable work—the work that embodies love and light and uplifts the community.

Diversity Reception

The Office hosts an annual Diversity Reception, inviting law students, Office employees, and members of the wider legal community to connect, network, and explore career paths within federal law enforcement.

Convenings and Roundtables

The Office regularly hosts panels and roundtables featuring AUSAs and other federal, state, and local government officials about the issues we see affecting communities in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. These events include:

Safe Housing: The Office has hosted a series of public events to promote health and safety in housing. These events include a two-part seminar with U.S. Attorney Romero and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis on removing environmental hazards and combatting sexual misconduct in HUD-assisted housing, as well as a number of seminars led by the Office’s Civil Rights Coordinators on discrimination in public housing.

Elder Justice: The Office is hosting a number of roundtables for law enforcement agencies concerning the serious issue of elder abuse in our communities led by our Elder Justice Coordinators. Attendees of these events are able to share knowledge and contacts in order to increase cooperation between agencies on these types of cases.

Anti-Trafficking: The Office has co-hosted a number of events aimed at raising awareness of human trafficking in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The Office’s Anti-Trafficking Coordinators regularly present to groups in a wide variety of communities throughout the District.

Youth Engagement

The Youth Engagement team has three main areas of focus: Civic Education, Career Exposure, and Community Outreach. Civic Education initiatives are designed to introduce and nurture interest in the federal legal system. Career Exposure introduces kids to federal law enforcement careers and exposes them to positive role models to help them imagine new career paths for themselves. The team also engages in hands-on community outreach initiatives involving regular volunteer efforts, speaking engagements, and sustained dialogue with youth-serving organizations to unite resources and support youth.

Constitutional Ambassadors Program

Members of the Office regularly participate in the National Constitution Center’s Constitutional Ambassadors Program. The program’s “Scholar Talks” allow members of the Office to explain legal and constitutional concepts to students of all ages and talk to them about the work we do at the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

High-Minded

The Youth Engagement team has developed a card game aimed at kids 14 years of age and older to get them talking about the important issues that impact them. The cards contain questions from one of seven categories that will spark conversation and get kids engaged in the world around them.

Think Again Program

Think Again Program is a youth violence-prevention initiative spearheaded by the Office working to build a future where youth can be informed, empowered, and safe from the streets. Ultimately, the goal of the program is to provide a safe environment for law enforcement and youth to engage in high-level discussion about the issues that youth and families face throughout the district. Federal, state, and local law enforcement officials visit middle and high schools to discuss careers in law enforcement, school safety, and ensuring students’ futures. If you’re interested in having a Think Again presentation at your school, please contact us at the email address below.

Future AUSA

Over the summer, the Office holds its annual Future Assistant United States Attorney program. This week-long program offers an immersive experience for high school students to learn about what it's like to be an Assistant U.S. Attorney, observe court cases, and meet key federal law enforcement leaders. This transformative week exposes students to many new career paths and prepares them for a future in criminal justice. In 2023, the team hosted 46 students from 32 different schools in five of the nine counties in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. The students heard from AUSAs, legal assistants, finance experts, and federal agents. They even explored the federal courthouse and had the chance to talk to two federal judges. The program includes a follow-up initiative, the Youth Ambassador program, for Future AUSA alumni to connect and engage in the Office’s other youth engagement initiatives.

The application for the July 2024 Future AUSA program is now closed. For more information about the program, check out the flyer below.

 

Contact Information

To contact the Office of Public Affairs and External Engagement team, email us at USAPAE.Outreach@usdoj.gov.