With the goal of breaking down potential communication barriers, law enforcement personnel joined advocates and clergy to participate in Tuesday’s NAACP Annual Diversity Law Enforcement Symposium.
The event featured a training session at the Kentucky Career Center in Covington conducted by U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service Division members. Law enforcement personnel representing federal, state and local agencies from Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana attended.
The DOJ describes the Community Relations Service as the peacemaker for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, ethnicity and national origin.
“We’re all key stakeholders in reducing crime and creating safe communities,” Northern Kentucky NAACP Branch President Jerome Bowles said. “We have to work together for that aspect. I think this can be a model for all communities, all law enforcement.
The NAACP is aware of the community issues and has established working relationships with the people residing in the impacted areas, Bowles said.
During the symposium, Community Relations Service Conciliation Specialists Joi Brown Dillard, Blair Mickles and Dion Lyons spurred dialogue and insight while sharing various resources with attendees.
Community Relations Service programs focus on three areas; the presenters noted – Administration of Justice, Education and General Community Relations.
“The thing that we are best at, the thing that you might find most useful as law enforcement professionals, is that we’re pretty good at bridging the gaps between law enforcement and the community,” Lyons said.
Utilizing the insight of individuals already entrenched in the community often yields the desired result, Lyons said.
“We don’t do it ourselves,” he said. “We facilitate those communications because every little thing helps. If we can bridge one gap.”
The endeavor was commended by Trauma Recovery Center of Cincinnati Director Sheila Nared, who noted its inclusive outreach.
“I think their efforts are awesome, because it’s very important that we try to bring everyone to the table,” Nared said. “I think they did really well with having an opportunity for individuals to come together and try to come up with some solutions. They brought people together to talk about some things that are wrong.”
Somerset, Kentucky, has established a Citizens Advisory Committee that serves as a liaison for city departments, including law enforcement, Police Chief William Hunt said.
“It’s made up of numerous local leaders in education, business, tourism and government housing,” Hunt said. “The minority population in our community is pretty small, but we still have to remember we represent everyone.”
The panel’s minority representation was 5% at the onset, Hunt said, but it has been changed to reflect 25% minority representation.
“Those relationships we’ve made have made all of the difference in the world,” Hunt said.