BRATTLEBORO — Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a meeting about Community Conscious Policing (created by Brandon Lee at Training4Transformation). It was extremely eye-opening and a breath of fresh air.
The 20 people there from all walks of life included correctional officers, Families First employees, racial justice activists, politicians, victims of police brutality, Brattleboro Police Department officers, Windham County Sheriffs, etc. You get the idea.
I had no idea how this was going to go. I was pleasantly surprised.
People shared their personal experiences. Some talked about what it is to be black in Brattleboro; some talked about their encounters and their friends' encounters with the police; some shared what it's like to work as police in this community.
Everybody listened to one another - deeply - on all parts. There was respect in the room, coming and going in all directions. People spoke from their hearts and were heard.
The main theme of the meeting was dehumanization. People discussed the dehumanization they experience from the police. And the police discussed the dehumanization that they are taught and that is embedded in the processes - from the training of police officers, to the courts and beyond.
I get angry at how distant and awkward police are during interactions with me! I wonder why they have to be so uptight and weird. This is a small community - it shouldn't be this way!
Little did I know that the system and the way that police are educated and trained would create this dehumanizing process and interaction.
However, it's not hopeless!
I really do feel that our local police department, our county sheriff's department, and our state police department could create a wonderful model of Community Conscious Policing for the rest of the country! (It's been done in some communities already - and it's working!)
So, Brattleboro Police Department, Windham County Sheriff's Office, Vermont State Police, what do you say? “Have a go at it?” or “You've got what it takes! We've got what it takes!”
I'd love to hear people's opinions and thoughts on this. Especially from people associated with our police departments!
Thank you to the representatives from the Brattleboro Police Department, the Windham County Sheriff's Office, a retired Vermont State Police trooper, and all of the organization members, individuals, and politicians for showing up and starting this conversation.