DA Seth Williams will receive community engagement award

Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams.
Credit: Rikard Larma / Metro

The Association of Prosecuting Attorneys and Target will Wednesday night present Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams with the 2013 Innovative Community Engagement Award recognizing outstanding leaders in community prosecution.

The ceremony is part of the 8th National Community Prosecution Training Summit underway this week in Philadelphia.

“Like so many of my colleagues around the country, I recognize that community-based prosecution is the linchpin for improving public safety and fostering good community relations,” Williams said in a statement.

“This conference will be enormously productive and I have no doubt it will result in the exchange of great ideas that will ultimately help all of us make our communities safer.”

The conference presented by the APA, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Justice and the Center for Court Innovation, teaches prosecutors to strengthen links between communities and the criminal justice system and highlights innovative programs that are reducing crime in neighborhoods across the country.

“Community prosecution is a philosophy that encourages collaboration between prosecutors, criminal justice partners and the community to create safer neighborhoods,” APA President David LaBahn said in a statement.

“By recognizing the important role that members of a community play in public safety, prosecutors have engaged in community based problem solving strategies that have reduced crime.”