Community Response Works

The organization has called the police within the United States an, “oppressive institution that exploits, incarcerates, and kills people” in the United States. ²

Raheem AI executive director Brandon Anderson has been accused of misusing more than $1.6 million of funds donated to Raheem AI for personal expenses including vacation rentals, clothing, a chiropractor, veterinary care, and personal ride-share services. ³

History and Leadership

Community Response Works was founded as Raheem AI in 2017 by Brandon D. Anderson. In 2018, the organization was given tax-exempt status by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). ⁴

In 2023, Raheem AI changed its name to Community Response Works. Brandon Anderson remains the group’s director. ^{5 6}

Controversy

Raheem AI executive director Brandon Anderson has been accused of misusing more than $1.6 million in funds donated that were donated to Raheem AI for personal use. Anderson allegedly spent the money on vacation rentals, clothing, a chiropractor, veterinary care, and personal ride-share services. ³ The New York Times reported that Anderson has been questioned about his use of $250,000 in expenses in 2021 alone. ⁶

Activities and Funding

Community Response Works is a left-of-center activist organization claims to use AI software and chatbots in order to track and rate interactions between people and law enforcement. ¹ The organization was originally named after the partner of its founder, Brandon Anderson, who was allegedly killed during a police traffic stop in Oklahoma. ⁷

Raheem AI’s also advocates for citizens to write their council members, register to vote, volunteer for activism, and join a local organization for police procedure changes. ¹

The organization partners with other policing-related organizations but does not partner with police departments, which it claims are an “oppressive institution that exploits, incarcerates, and kills people” in the United States. ²

In 2017, Community Response Works created an online service aimed at reporting interactions with police. It also built the PATCH Network, which was a network of mobile crisis teams, health and social service activists, and police-abolitionist organizations to develop an alternative to 911 as a dispatching system. ⁸

In 2020, the Oakland, California, Police Commission voted to contract with Raheem AI for $40,000 over a three-month contract. ⁹ Raheem AI founder Brandon Anderson said in 2021 that the organization’s plan for an online complaint service had been a mistake because he did not think that police could ever be fixed. ⁶ Raheem AI spent $801,841 on program expenses, which included working on crises without involving police, developing additional technology, and other issues. ¹⁰

Funding

Community Response Works receives its funding from individual contributions and grants. In 2022, Raheem AI reported revenue of $1,335,148 and expenses of $1,263,719. In 2021, the organization reported contributions of $652,047 and expenses of $1,144,486. ¹⁰

In 2023, Raheem AI received $100,000 from the Ford Foundation. ¹¹ In 2022, the organization received $225,000 from the California Wellness Foundation and $200,000 from the Dropbox Charitable Foundation and the Kresge Foundation. ¹²

In 2021, Raheem AI  received $75,000 from the Silicon Valley Community Foundation and $20,000 from the New Venture Fund. ^{13 14} In 2018, Raheem AI received $345,000 from Fast Forward. ¹⁵