DALLAS (AP) – In the aftermath of the police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri, some police departments are making renewed efforts to reach out to black communities to build trust.
The idea often involves holding public meetings, fielding questions and letting people voice the anger they feel toward officers who patrol their neighborhoods.
Dallas Police Chief David Brown considers it a preventative step. He says he prefers to be shouted at during a community meeting than to try to establish relationships after a deadly shooting, when it’s too late.
To reassure the public, Dallas County District Attorney Craig Watkins recently announced that he would begin sending two prosecutors to independently investigate every police shooting.
Similar efforts have been made in New York, Nashville, Kansas City and elsewhere.