With the recent Dallas shootings and other incidents across the nation, Kent Police Chief Ken Thomas sees this as the right time to hold a community meeting to build relationships between officers and residents.
Kent Police will host a community forum from 7-9 p.m. on Thursday, July 21 in the Student Center at Kent Covenant Church, 12010 SE 240th St.
“We’d like to see many of our residents present to engage in a meaningful conversation,” Thomas said. “I envision this as being more of a listening session where, as a police department, we can listen and hear concerns members of our community may have, and then engage in a conversation about those feelings and what we can do.”
Residents have expressed concerns and fears to the Kent Police because of shooting deaths of police officers and black men in other parts of the nation.
“This is an effort by many of the leaders of the diverse community and the police department to build relationships and to try to help the healing process with what has occurred throughout the country in police and community dynamics and relationships and to make things as positive as they can be for our community,” Thomas said.
The police chief said he has concerns as well.
“We’re seeing incidents throughout the country where police officers are being shot at and ambushed just because of who they are,” Thomas said. “There’s a sense of uncertainty and concern. I’m not sure we are on the downhill side of this yet. I’m concerned about the safety of our community, our police officers and our staff.”
Councilman Jim Berrios agreed it’s a positive approach to have the meeting between police and residents.
“I really appreciate not only this effort but the effort you and your team have made over the last several years in reaching out to the community and having these type of sessions,” Berrios said at the City Council’s Public Safety Committee meeting on Tuesday when Thomas announced the public forum. “This isn’t something new that you are doing.”
Kent Police have reached out over the last several years with quarterly community meetings as well as coffee with the chief sessions.
“I can tell you as a police department we have worked very hard to build relationships within our community especially with the diverse members of our community,” Thomas said.
Kent Police have initiated fair and impartial training for every officer. Police command staff are assigned to a different diverse group within the community to go out in the neighborhoods and engage with residents.
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