NWA editorial: Reach out, look within

Community relations require constant attention

"We treat everyone with as much respect as they will let us."

-- Ryan Walker, Pea Ridge chief of police

What’s the point?

Law enforcement and community leaders must invest as much in community understanding and relations as they do in other training for officers.

The caller suggested an editorial cartoonist had crossed the line -- not the thin blue line, but the line of propriety -- because he unfairly cast "all police officers" as having a tendency to shoot too quickly. And, by publishing the cartoonist's point of view, this newspaper had jumped across the boundary as well.

The cartoon did nothing of the sort, and respect for our readers' intelligence provides room for publication of cartoons that criticize the behaviors of some in the profession without maligning the entire lot. By and large, we believe, most law enforcement officers are decent, brave souls committed to protecting their communities. If anyone doubts it, visit Sebastian County and ask about Deputy Bill Cooper, May he rest in peace.

We are thankful for those men and women who serve valiantly. But that doesn't negate serious concerns about scenarios that raise real questions about some agencies' policing tactics, internal cultures and enforcement that defaults to treating some minorities as suspects rather than citizens. Trying to keep the focus on the "good cops" -- even though their existence is unquestioned -- runs the risk of leaving critically important issues of equitable enforcement, discrimination and police response unaddressed.

If one thing can be said about law enforcement in 2016, it's that its relationship to the diverse communities served must be front of mind. Tensions between minorities and local police agencies in many locations are strained, with their weaknesses exposed by deadly force decision-making that happens within seconds.

It's not what happens in those seconds, however, that define how a community responds. It's what happens within the communities in the months and years leading to that moment. It's the level of respect that's shown among population segments and law enforcement. When a spark sets off a roaring inferno of emotions, who's to blame? Every member of that community had a role in it.

We have heard from law enforcement and community leaders that Northwest Arkansas doesn't have the kinds of problems that have led to tensions elsewhere. They're not patting themselves on the back. It seems there's a healthy realization of "there but for the grace of God go I."

Local authorities deserve commendation for the flurry of public meetings and community outreach witnessed in Northwest Arkansas as part of the ongoing conversation to prevent development of an "us vs. them" mentality. That mentality will always exist between law-breakers and those who enforce the laws. But there's no sense for it to exist among law-abiding segments of the region's population and law enforcement officers.

Northwest Arkansas must be a community of communities that invests time and energy to make sure diversity remains a defining, positive attribute of who we are, not a sign of division. It's a certainty that sooner or later an officer of one race, gender or background will employ deadly force against a person of another race, gender or background in Northwest Arkansas. When it happens, community relationships must be strong enough to withstand external influences that stir emotions and make communication difficult.

The reaction to such a local situation will be determined by how skilled community leaders and police officers are in building bridges rather than concentrating on divisions. It will depend on how much the words of leaders are reflected by the men and women on the street.

At a recent open house in Benton County, Rogers Police Chief Hayes Minor said 80 percent of people are willing to work with law enforcement. That's a sign of how good we've got it in Northwest Arkansas. The challenge will always be reaching the other 20 percent, a portion that still numbers in the thousands. Perhaps more than the 80 percent, they need those face-to-face conversations with law enforcement, the kinds that build trust and respect.

The burden does not just rest on those in uniform or those at City Hall. Relationships are a two-way street. Residents who have a built-in level of distrust with law enforcement -- perhaps some of it earned through their experiences -- must devote themselves to addressing their concerns through effective, and sometimes hard, collaboration rather than easy confrontation. A conversation with police in an office is far more productive than venting one's frustrations in the middle of a roadside traffic stop at 2 a.m. on a Saturday.

Common sense can go a long way. Common respect from both sides can go even further.

We encourage local agency leaders to maintain a drive to improve relationships with minority populations, to work hard against the challenges of hiring and keeping a diverse force of officers, and to consider community relations for every officer as critically important as firearms and defensive tactics training. Members of minority populations would no doubt like to see formal plans designed to promote diversity and understanding of cultural differences, not just occasional meet-and-greets.

We commend the local agencies that have promoted face-to-face conversations between officers and citizens that might not have ever happened otherwise. It's that kind of community awareness and investment that will pay off in respectful relationships for the future.

Commentary on 08/21/2016

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