Community Connectivity:

The tools of mentorship and exposure are powerful and transformative. As a member of The 100 Black Men of America, South Metro Atlanta Chapter, I participated in a mentorship and literacy support program with at risk student populations. The weekly sessions gave students the opportunity to engage with professional men who were concerned enough to invest their time. The results were positive for the students and the mentors. This type of engagement by law enforcement will transform the relationships with the communities we serve.

Building Community Connectivity plans include:

Each police academy candidate will be trained and assigned as a mentor to a small group of APS students (3 to 5 students). Candidates will spend one hour per week mentoring, assisting with class work and getting to know their students. The mentoring sessions will continue after the officers’ graduate from candidacy to the police force.

Quarterly First Responder Appreciation events, will be held in each police zone, inviting the community, police, and fire fighters to engage, establish relationships in an informal community setting.

With these two programs intact, true community policing can happen. When these officers who have mentored young people in the community and are celebrated by the community begin walking the streets, we will see the full impact of community policing.