I would gather inner-city community leaders together (not the likes of Jackson or Sharpton, btw) for a heart-to-heart. I would admit to the shortcomings of police departments nationwide when it comes to appropriate initial training, ongoing refresher training, community involvement, oversight, transparency, timely investigation and public disclosure. Then I would proceed to tell them how THEIR police department was going to change.
Appropriate Initial Training -- I would let them know that we believe we haven't focused enough on de-escalation. That we wanted to put together a community focus group of a half-dozen interested members of the community to work with us in developing a de-escalation training program QUICKLY...and one that would and could evolve as we carefully tracked field experience. And that last part segues right into the
Refresher Training.
Community Involvement -- i would tell them how important I thought it was for our officers to interact with their community in some organized social ways. Perhaps school assembles talking about law enforcement as a career... youth group involvement... maybe a cop vs firemen basketball tourney in the neighborhood with the neighborhood fielding a couple of teams... A summer cookout hosted by the cops, firemen and paramedics... a few all-night sleepovers with the cops and young kids... And again asking for a group of three or four to help identify helpful events and help support them in the community.
Oversight, Transparency, Timely Investigation and Public Disclosure -- I would let the community know that I felt many PDs had fallen woefully short in these areas. That our department's goal was a body camera on every officer and every squad car. That we would start the program within ninety days (or better, we'd already started it), and would be 100% compliant within 6 months. I would let the community know we wanted four or five of their members to serve with other oversight members to review perceived problems and make recommendations for disposition. I'd let them know that a public review of particular situations would begin within thirty days of report, and completion/recommendations would be targeted at 90 days or sooner.
In closing, I would ask for a focus group to look at other things the community thought we might do to facilitate a greater sense of cooperation and trust between our PD and their residents... Including what the community might do to help its members interact in a more safe manner with our officers.
Well... You asked.