What Can Citizens Do To Bridge The Ever Increasing Gap Between Them And The Police?

I have seen BLM's Campagin Zero which includes suggestions on how to reform the police.

Some of these suggestions I agree with and some I don't. I like that they are putting it out there though.

Since that thread covers what the police can/should do to improve their relationships with the community, I would like to start a thread that discusses what the citizens can do to improve their relationships with the police.

Fixing things is going to be a two street no doubt about it.

Please, for the love of your God (or lack thereof) don't let this thread transform into a police or race bashing fest.

Another positive question is

what can the police do to build that bridge

because they're the public servants

and citizens are the public

duh

not murdring innocents and stealing the footage is a good start imho

but not attacking unarmed demonstrators is also a lead

a reply to: wisvol

Wow, first reply...

Feel free to participate in the other thread that discusses what the police can do to improve their relationships with the citizens.

This thread is about what citizens can do.

Duh

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

How 'bout just following the LAW?! That'd work, right?

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

conceal carry

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

After watching Obamas speech today at thr officers funeral I'd say get him out if office would help. My god he stood up there at a memorial for dead officers and said every police force and public institutions is racist. My god what had happened to this country.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Thanks for taking the time to ask an honest and legitimate question.

Education: Communities can educate themselves to what the police are actually there for. Also the extent of their authority.

Learn their names: They are people. They may have families, they may even be a part of your community!! Two officers(a couple) work in my neighborhood and my girlfriends building. We see them often on and off the clock.

a reply to: Rubicon3

In most recent cases, I think it would have prevented the loss of life.

a reply to: JinMI

Community policing is great and it was something that I did.

I loved getting to know the people on a personal level.

I like the idea of education as well.

Many agencies offer citizen academies. Unfortunately, in my experience, it doesn't reach the younger people that I would like to see reached.

Generally, it was elder retired people that chose to attend.

TorqueyThePig

I think reducing citizen/LEO encounters is the best solution. There are a lot of unjust laws that unnecessarily involve police and people such as seatbelt laws.

Also, I think that ending the long failed War on Drugs would go a LONG way in reducing police/citizen encounters.

It needs to be that when you see a cop in your rearview mirror you think "meh" rather than, "oh s**t!"

Another way I think people can bridge the gap is by simply having a casual dialogue with the police. This would require a venue for such conversations to occur such as a fundraiser luncheon with $5 plates or something as simple as police walking the beat around their neighborhood.

It's not really rocket science but, as they say, it takes two to tango, dig?

Well, when I was a kid, I had a local police officer that lived at the end of our street. He would often work double-shifts or late. During the winter, if my dad noticed his driveway uncleared by late afternoon, he would tell me to go down there and, if anyone was home, offer to shovel it for them while he was out on duty. My dad explained that he was our neighbor, and had to work long hours, so if we can, we should try to help him out where we could.

And each year when we had a labor day block party, he would provide our private police coverage (free of charge) and file the paperwork to close off the street.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

Government is another thing that seems to be getting yanked from public schools. When I was a kid (80's) we had bi monthly assemblies involving police/fire/ems/dnr/swat that came in and showed off some cool stuff and told us of their duties and responsibilities.

Anyway. It's all more us vs them mentality. Folks need to realize the "us" is just about everyone in the working class.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

I think that before anyone should dictate what police can and cannot do, we should first understand what it is police do and have the authority to do.

I don't think BLM, most of us have any idea other than what's portrayed on tv and movies.

originally posted by: Rubicon3
a reply to: TorqueyThePig

How 'bout just following the LAW?! That'd work, right?

Most people harassed by the cops aren't breaking any law what so ever. Sorry to rain on your parade.

a reply to: CagliostroTheGreat

I agree with everything you said.

Just to add, the law enforcement community does all kinds of things like you suggested. There is shop with a cop, tip a cop, coffee with a cop, LE torch run, national night out, camp chance, PAL, etc.

The problem is, not many are taking advantage of such things.

originally posted by: TorqueyThePig
I have seen BLM's Campagin Zero which includes suggestions on how to reform the police.

Some of these suggestions I agree with and some I don't. I like that they are putting it out there though.

Since that thread covers what the police can/should do to improve their relationships with the community, I would like to start a thread that discusses what the citizens can do to improve their relationships with the police.

Fixing things is going to be a two street no doubt about it.

Please, for the love of your God (or lack thereof) don't let this thread transform into a police or race bashing fest.

I suggest there is NO ever widening gap between police and the citizens. If anything the majority are swinging ever more in support of our police....as a whole.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

I would like to start a thread that discusses what the citizens can do to improve their relationships with the police.

I'm all ears! Since you're a police officer and the author of this thread, what are your opinions on what citizens can do to improve their relationship with the police?

a reply to: nwtrucker

I am not getting that vibe.

I am getting the more "lines are being drawn in the sand" vibe.

I feel it, I don't like it, and I want it to change.

a reply to: windword

My biggest thing would be to ask citizens to try and not look at law enforcement officers as a whole, as one living entity that thinks and acts the same.

Law enforcement is made up of hundreds of thousands of unique humans, some good and some bad.

I want them to know that just because there may be issues within say the Chicago Police Department, doesn't mean there are issues at another department.

a reply to: TorqueyThePig

I want them to know that just because there may be issues within say the Chicago Police Department, doesn't mean there are issues at another department.

a fair and valid point: "police" armed forces aren't like national armed forces, and some towns have great police departments, around the world (usually smaller towns but not always)

this is why when there is a conflict between the police of a specific city and the military, the military wins, even numbered because larger crop means more cream