“I have nothing in my background that would have prepared me for this…” Lieutenant Newton of the Fresno Police Department shared with us about his journey from initial skepticism to being published by the FBI as an advocate for Conflict Resolution.
Every day, we as a community, entrust our most important phone calls to the 9-1-1 center, which is exactly what Lt. Newton oversees. Did you know that on average the 9-1-1 center receives 3,000 calls per day? I am sure that you are as thankful as I am for their service. Additionally, I can only imagine what type of emotional resources are required to be available to people in their time of need and direct them to the most appropriate agency as quickly as possible. Lt. Newton is not only responsible for ensuring high-quality services for the residents of Fresno who make the phone calls, but he is also in charge of caring for and managing the technicians who receive the phone calls. With his resume and professional experience in mind, let’s consider what he shared last Wednesday night.
His Experience of Conflict Resolution
“Relief! That is the best word I can use to describe how I felt after I began working with you,” said Lt. Newton. From his point of view, Nightingale Resolutions and our mediation process is one of the most important resources that the Bureau can provide to their employees. Lt. Newton contacted us when two of his best and most experienced employees were at odds with one another. What did we do that brought him so much relief? We did what we do best – met together with them and offered them a way to address their concerns. The process that we offer gives people a chance to find solutions together and develop healthier working relationships. To Lt. Newton, who supervises over 90 employees, this was music to his ears.
His Path to Conflict Resolution
It is important to note that Lt. Newton did not always think this way. Lt. Newton’s interest in conflict resolution began in 2014 when he was assigned to the role of Community Services Commander. This new assignment required a shift in perspective for him, up until that point he had primarily been in charge of police officers, and now he was responsible for both police officers and the Bureau’s relationship to and with civilians. One particular concern that he had was working with youth which had previously been to juvenile hall and was now returning to school and finding it difficult to get back on track. That is when Lt. Newton learned about Restorative Justice and partnered with Fresno Pacific University.
Despite his initial skepticism he moved forward in good faith. Lt. Newton shared with us how the conflict resolution process provided by Fresno Pacific University transformed the relationship between his on-site police officer and the students. “Knowing that there was an alternative and effective way to solve day-to-day issues on campus created a positive environment that improved the students and policeman’s experience.” From that point forward Lt. Newton was hooked, he went on to publish an article with the FBI about the effectiveness of Restorative Justice and its role in making the community a safer place.
Start Your Path Towards Conflict Resolution
Nightingale Resolutions offers mediation services, conflict resolution training, facilitation, and conflict coaching. We specialize in workplace, family, marriage, and church situations. If you are interested in our upcoming Conflict Resolution Training you can click here, or if you have questions or want more information contact us.
For future Informative Gatherings here is the schedule.
Tim Nightingale, M.A., is a mediator, conflict resolution trainer, facilitator, and conflict coach for Nightingale Resolutions. Tim has been practicing in the field for 8 years. You can learn more about him here.