Police and Community Engagement Program, December 4

A program aimed at strengthening the relationship of law enforcement and the community runs on Saturday, December 4.

The Police Engagement Program (PEP) takes place from 10:00 to 2:00 at Weston High School.

The program focuses on de-escalation practices for officers and civilians, building trust between law enforcement and the community, and recognizing how implicit bias (attitudes and stereotypes people may hold without even knowing it) and systemic racism affect policing and community relations. It includes presentations, discussion, and simulations of police and civilian interactions.

The Police Engagement Program was developed by the Stratford police department and has been conducted widely for six years throughout Connecticut and California. Weston police officers attended the first part of the training in March.

PEP leaders describe the program as scenario-based, “providing insight to the circumstances officers face routinely and the split-second, life and death decisions they potentially encounter throughout their careers.” Open discussion includes the history and origins of policing and why “the residuals of these foundations still generate resentment in many communities today.”

The objective is to emphasize the importance of empathetic and compassionate law enforcement, strengthen the police and community relationship, and develop best practices for civilian and law enforcement encounters.

A description of the engagement program notes: “Never has it been more imperative for local law enforcement and the community they serve to foster healthy partnerships. Anyone who watches the news with some regularity has witnessed the need for a united community firsthand.”

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