blackvoicenews.com

Community Police Academy kick-off gets “cautious” thumbs up

By Chris Levister –

The Rev. Bronica Martindale is on a mission – to break through the barriers blamed for decades of toxic relations between San Bernardino police and residents of the city’s Westside.

“I’ve been praying, twisting arms and fence mending. My biggest challenge has been getting everyone on the same page.”

If the crowd that flocked to the Community Police Academy kickoff was any indication at all, Martindale’s mission is off to a flying start.

“Hallelujah. People are coming out to share their voice.”

Martindale, president of the California Gardens Neighborhood Cluster Association was among more than 100 residents, city leaders, business owners, and police brass gathered in Henderson Auditorium at Community Hospital to try to open lines of communication and learn more about police work.

“If the ‘man’ can come to our backyard and hear us out, it’s only fair that we meet them half way,” declared Paul Bacon.

For Police Chief Keith Kilmer who took over the department last June there were few words sweeter and more stirring.

“The turnout is a hopeful sign,” he said. “We want to be receptive to information that comes our way, including information that’s negative or critical. We have to be more community sensitive.”

Division commanders fielded dozens of questions often pausing to listen to grievances pent up after years of dialogue gridlock.

“A lot of us are skeptical. You haven’t followed through on past promises. There’s a lot of mistrust out here,” said a man who gave his name only as Surge.

“We have to stand up and speak truth,” said a member of the youth group Young Visionaries.

Some leaders quest ioned the Police Department’s resolve and previous outreach efforts.

Education activist and former City Council candidate Carolyn Tillman, for example called community meetings presented by past administrations “kumbaya sessions”, ‘a lot of nice few teeth, little follow through’.

“Measurable sustainable goals, not for its own sake, but to solve problems, that’s what the people need right now,” said Tillman.

She said the real litmus test rests with adoption of traditional problem solving principles: identify problem situations; find and verify the true cause (whether its poverty, family issues, under performing schools or neighbor on neighbor crime); develop and implement a benchmark based action plan, then find ways to measure results and follow up.”

Tillman praised Martindale, police, local clergy, Mayor Pat Morris, and other city and community leaders for trying to address legitimate concerns that have been ignored or resisted for decades.

For Kilmer, the lion’s den strategy of addressing community concerns face-to-face reinforced the department’s stepped up campaign to repair its image and reach out to disaffected residents and business owners.

Even before the questions-and-answers concluded, many in the audience were hoping that the sessions would become a regular feature.

“It’s nice to hear something good come out of San Bernardino for a change,” a business owner from Colton told the group.

“Frankly this is the kind of discussion we need more of.”

“This is just the beginning,” Martindale told participants.

“I hear a resounding voice of wanting to bridge communications. That has always been the prayer,” she said.

She called Chief Kilmer a visionary leader with a track record of transparency and community outreach.

“We’re calling on police to be accountable. In turn we have to put our own house in order and insist that our voices become a critical part of the conversation going forward. We’re in this together.”

The six week academy resumes February 9 from 6:30-8:30 pm.