The Community Safety Exchange brings together the expertise of Dr. Maurice Vann and Dr. Samuel L. Brown, two scholars whose combined experience spans community safety, social policy, public administration, program evaluation, research, and organizational leadership.

Dr. Vann’s work focuses on the emerging discipline of community safety and the development of multidisciplinary approaches that extend beyond traditional policing. His research and policy work examine how housing, education, behavioral health, employment, credible messengers, community organizations, and public institutions can work together to create safer and more stable communities.

Dr. Samuel L. Brown, Ph.D., MBA, is a highly accomplished policy analyst, academic leader, and economic researcher with over 25 years of progressive experience spanning university administration, professional consulting, and public service. He is currently the Principal and Founder of Brownstone Policy Analytics & Economic Development Group, a boutique consulting firm in Chesapeake, Virginia, that specializes in advanced econometric modeling, infrastructure impact analysis, public finance, and program evaluation.

Together, Vann and Brown help communities move from ideas to implementation. The Community Safety Exchange can assist municipalities, public agencies, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and community-based organizations with developing community-safety strategies; evaluating existing programs; identifying gaps in services; using data to guide policy and investment; building partnerships across agencies and community organizations; and designing practical, evidence-informed approaches tailored to the needs of individual communities.

Our goal is straightforward: help communities understand what they already have, identify what they need, and build the partnerships, policies, and infrastructure necessary to make community safety work.