What can we do to make 2015 a better year for police and community relations?

[SamClemensMT]

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what can be done to make the new year a better one for police community relations? Is the responsibility mainly on the community or the police department. Maybe it's hopeless.

 

[primalclaws1974]

Police are definitely struggling with a bad image right now. I believe that individual communities are going to handle their relationships with local officers in their own way. In my city there is not a greater disrespect for the police (at least from what I am aware) than before Ferguson. If a police person killed someone here, I personally would want to understand it all. I would hope that he/she would be taken off duty, and the matter fully investigated. If they were found to not be at fault, and followed the law, I would consider the matter closed, and would continue to show the officer and the department respect.

 

[shilpa123]

I believe that the relationship between community and officers will improve only If you decide to step out start *discussing about it. I believe that one must be very careful while handling such a relationship. I do not think that police will harm the civilian unnecessary in most of the cases. I *believe they can be quite helpful at times.*

 

[Josie]

Officers need to wear cameras!

 

[missbishi]

In my opinion, responsibility lies firmly with the police departments. Recent actions by poiice officers all across the country have done nothing but increase the sense of mistrust the public has in them. We need to see officers facing the consequences of their actions and we need to see a marked reduction in the amount of unnecessary shootings before trust can start to be regained.

 

[Patrick]

It's probably quite a sensitive topic. Much of the onus lies on police departments, they need to take much stricter action on the few black sheep instead of protecting them. However as citizens we can help by being more cooperative and courteous to officers. Something as simple as wishing them a good morning would help a lot in relieving tension between the two parties.

 

[kana_marie]

The police need to make a point of letting the community know that all the bad press they're getting isn't the norm. The media isn't reporting on all the good the police are doing. Their entire focus is on the bad cops who kill unarmed men. I'm not saying they should publicly hang and flog the bad ones, but just make sure people know that police as a whole do not condone this behavior.

 

[mairj23]

The police has to stop targeting a certain racial or ethnic group first. People have lost respect for them because they seem to be so trigger happy and they've been getting away with it. Then again, people should stop putting themselves in certain situations, which get them in trouble or makes them look suspicious. All cops aren't bad but the good ones catch the backlash.