Bradenton Police Officers Start ‘Walkin’ the Beat’

BRADENTON, FL — Bradenton area residents who spot police officers out of their cruisers and out on foot have no reason for alarm. It’s all part of the Bradenton Police Department’s newest initiative, “Walkin’ the Beat.”

Kicked off by Chief Melanie Bevan, the program is designed to bolster community policing in the city while giving residents and officers a chance to connect.

“The goal of this program is to form more positive working relationships with our community members through regular dialogue,” Bevan said in announcing the program. “Additionally, officers will become more acutely familiar with their areas of responsibility with regards to crime trends and quality of life issues and learn from the residents themselves what their neighborhood concerns truly are.”

The program will have officers getting out of their cruisers and meeting people within their own assigned beats. These will include high-crime areas, businesses, residential areas, parks and around schools. Walkin’ the Beat activity will be documented to monitor outreach efforts and officers are being asked to engage with residents they meet along the way.

“By working together on issues that collectively impact our Bradenton community, and by re-establishing relationships through ongoing, face-to-face communication, we hope to show this program is a win-win for everyone,” Bevan said.

The initiative, she added, is intended to run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“At the end of the day, it’s all about having a safer city,” Police Commissioner and Mayor Wayne Poston said.

Photo courtesy of the Bradenton Police Department Facebook page