Neighborhood Youth, Community, Police Come Together In St. Pete For Engagement Training

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — To improve the relationship St. Pete police have with the community, officers will go through training for the next two weeks led by the Bethune-Cookman University Center for Law and Social Justice.

Randy B. Nelson, Ph.D., director of the Center for Law and Social Justice at Bethune-Cookman University, is leading the classes and facilitating speakers. Neighborhood youth, residents, and community and civic leaders are also taking part in a special community engagement training to build trust, a news release said.

The objective is to critically assess past and present perceptions and attitudes of law enforcement and community residents toward each other, identify strategies to create positive interactions, and learn strategies to decrease cultural misunderstandings, a St. Pete police information officer said.

The department hopes to create a positive environment and trust between officers and the community.

The first session was recently held at the St. Petersburg Police Department, and included members of the police force. Nelson will have meetings at various locations with community residents and youth on Jan. 29, Feb. 5 and Feb. 12.

This program was funded by the Tampa Bay Lightning Foundation.