On July 24, 2019, Game Changer event #66 took place at the LAPD Police Academy at Elysian Park. LAPD officers, LA County Probation officers, juvenile probationers, LA Dodgers R.B.I. players, and members of the general public gathered together to participate in a moderated focus group, followed by attending the LA Dodgers/LA Angeles game at Dodgers stadium thanks to a ticket donation courtesy of the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation.

Participating police officers received 5 hours of California POST (Commision on Peace Officer Standards and Training) training credit hours in the training subject of Community Policing. They also received 2 hours of Interpersonal Skills Training credit hours.

All participants spent the first portion of the focus group discussing problems. The second half was spent in small groups that included at least one members of law enforcement devising solutions to problems. At the conclusion of the focus group, all participants attended the game together to continue communicating in a less formal, more casual setting.

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A San Diego program has received a state grant to train law enforcement officers across California.

The program, Game Changer, was founded in 2016 by Sean Sheppard after he saw large protests break out across the country against police brutality.

His idea was simple. He would bring members of the public together with law enforcement officers over a sports game.

“To get some human bonding time,” explains Sheppard. “Because that rarely takes place between law enforcement and the general public.”

Before, they would talk for a few hours about what issues they saw between police and the communities they serve. After, they would get to socialize at the game.

Since 2016, Game Changer has hosted 60 events and continues to grow.

The Game Changer model was just awarded a 2-year, $200,000 grant from the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training.

Once the program is accredited, law enforcement personnel who complete a Game Changer event can put it toward their required training credit hours.

Members of the public are needed too. To sign up for a Game Changer event, check out their website

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

Game Changer founder Sean Sheppard and San Diego Police Chief David Nisleit discuss the benefits and data snapshot of the program that is utilizing collegiate and professional sports to address law enforcement/community relations.

The program has hosted 544 unique participants including 188 members of law enforcement representing 19 different law enforcement agencies.

The program has generated data that has been analyzed by the San Diego State University Institute of Public Health. The data shows the model has been successful in consistently bringing together the general public and law enforcement, changing perceptions of the participants and bringing about modest amounts of behavior change.

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

For more videos visit our YouTube page

Data shows that Game Changer is changing the perceptions and behavior among law enforcement and the general public. Over time, could it possibly decrease violence and increase peace?

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

For more videos visit our YouTube page

On Thursday, January 25, 2018 Nonprofit organization Embrace delivered its Game Changer law enforcement/community relations model to The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio. 3 hours before the start of the Ohio State/Penn State Men’s Basketball game at the Jerome Schottenstein Center, 6 members of law enforcement representing the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Columbus Division of Police and 13 non-law enforcement members of the community gathered to participate in a 2 hour, 45-minute moderated focus group to discuss community problems and work on solutions.

Are You a Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

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Embrace Founder, Sean Sheppard had seen enough unnecessary violence and loss of life between members of the community and those sworn to protect and serve the community.  Something needed to be done, not just said.

“What I saw on the news and subsequent chatter on social media moved me. People along racial and socio-economic lines were dug in on their positions, but things are rarely as simple as black and white,” said Sheppard.

Sheppard began calling upon his life-long experiences of growing up in multi-ethnic environments, playing sports and coaching sports to create a model that utilized sports as a common denominator that would lead to consistent exposure and communication among lay people like it does among athletes, coaches.

“Most people in Columbus, Ohio are Buckeye fans, regardless of race, religion, gender identity or political affiliation,” said Sheppard, the former Director of Strength and Conditioning for Olympic Sports at The Ohio State University. “Why not start with something we have in common, something we can smile about together across the board?”

Sean was fortunate enough to have a relationship with San Diego Police Chief Shelley Zimmerman, who happens to be an Ohio State University alumnus and rabid Buckeye fan.

“She got it right away,” explained Sheppard. “She immediately understood how powerful sports can be when it comes to bringing people together. Her input and outreach to the San Diego Police Officers Association, and their subsequent input, helped create a model we all believe should be implemented nationally.”

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

For more videos visit our YouTube page

Game Changer brings together community, law enforcement, members of the judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Once the focus group concludes, all participants enjoy a sporting event or entertainment event together for much needed quality time.

Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed to generate data to be used to navigate toward change.

Visit the Game Changer YouTube page to watch footage from focus groups and testimonials from law enforcement and community members who have participated.

About Game Changer

Out of necessity, Game Changer was born, a model rooted in creating a safe space for consistent, moderated, 2-way dialogue to occur between members of the community, law enforcement and members of the judicial system in a common ground setting: a sports/entertainment environment.  “Think about it: when do people from all walks of life come together to have a good time together? Sporting events and music concerts.  Sports and entertainment have always been trend setters in our society when it comes to social issues.  We need them to influence our society in a positive way more than ever.”

The Game Changer model calls upon the NCAA, NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, WNBA, NASCAR, UFC and major artists to allow for moderated focus groups (15-20 per month in each city) to occur at their arena, 3 hours before game, competition or concert time. The moderated focus groups are meant to allow members of the community, members of law enforcement, elected officials and members of the judicial system to discuss the issues that exist between and among them.  The time is designed to give everyone in attendance the opportunity to be heard and listened to in a safe space.  The focus groups are meant to educate, generate data on perspectives and changes in perspective with an end goal of bringing about changes in behavior, neighborhood watch, policy, procedure and law.

Once each focus group concludes, all participants adjourn to take in the sporting/entertainment event together in order to spend much needed social/human bonding time together, time that is routinely absent from a typical citizen or police officer’s life routine.  Game time is meant to allow for the participants to see each other in a human light, as members of one team routing for a common denominator: the home team.

Are You A Game Changer?

Game Changer brings together community members, law enforcement, judicial and legislative branches of government for moderated focus groups. Together we discuss community problems and devise solutions. Dinner and event tickets are provided. Pre and Post perception surveys are completed by each participant to generate data.

For more videos visit our YouTube page