Strong relationships of mutual trust between police and the communities they serve are critical to maintaining public safety and effective policing. Countless incidents such as Trayvon Martin, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor which involve police use of force and other issues has communities questioning the legitimacy of the police. The LT Colonel and retired policemen who are Black and Latino have personally encountered excessive force exhibited by police. They will lend their experience, training and expertise to assist with the formation of POTC (Police Officer Trainings Corps). Councilman Brown was also the founder of COPPS (Citizens Opposing Profiled Police Stops) in 1997 which included a Dept of Justice problem solving group with Attorneys General Janet Reno and Eric Holder.
POTC has a primary mandate to have an immediate and lasting effect upon true community policing whereby younger school aged children will have a positive and consistent interaction with the local policing community. “Our aim is to reduce fear and increase interest of ultimately serving their community in law enforcement” says Brown.
Community members willingness to trust the police depends on whether they believe that police actions incorporate the principles of procedural justice and equitableness. It is imperative that police agencies make improving relationships with their local communities a top priority.
This nationwide program will be piloted in Coconut Grove, FL. Participants of the POTC panel will be available for media and community questions at a 10am press conference at Verrick Park on 2/26. This will be the site of the First Annual Black History month Jazz, Art, & Authors Festival from 12p-6pm in which the POTC panel will be honorary guests.
