New Orleans Saints All-Pro defensive end Cameron Jordan is teaming up with Crescent City Corps (CCC), a New Orleans-based non-profit that equips new police officers with leadership development and community engagement training so that they can work alongside citizens to build a more just, safe, and inclusive city.

Through CCC, four groups of 15 to 20 NOPD officers will participate in the engagement training program in the year ahead. Inspired by the impact of the pilot program, NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson enthusiastically supported the program's expansion because he considers it "essential for building the kind of leadership our department, our profession, and our community need."

This program is being made possible by the generous support of the Saints' star defensive end and his "God Iz Love Foundation," which has a long history of supporting community initiatives in New Orleans and beyond. Jordan felt it was necessary that bolder steps were taken to ensure anti-racist and anti-bias trainings were made available to more first-responders in New Orleans.

"In addition to community-based alternatives to policing, we need to find ways to bridge the gap between the police and the community," Jordan said. "I have dedicated much of my life to making a positive impact in my community, and it is my greatest hope that we can move past symbolism to transformative change with the work we are doing here. While this is an important first step, I know that we have a long way to go in re-imagining public safety, but I am looking forward to what we can accomplish."

For more information or to support the program, click here.