CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Charleston community leaders and police officers will unveil a new plan focused on improving race relations between the public and law enforcement.
A press conference will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Charleston City Hall.
The plan was developed as a response to multiple officer-involved shootings across the United States.
For nearly 14 months, groups and organizations have been meeting to discuss police training, youth engagement, arrest tracking and police body cameras.
Stephen Smith, director of the WV Healthy Kids and Families Coalition, said “ideas and innovations came from 19-year-old young people, the police chief himself and religious leaders.”
Smith this shows community leaders are taking real action to better serve future generations, including his son.
“I get scared about the world he’s growing up in because of the violence and the racism that sort of has our country in a death grip right now,” he said. “It’s important for me to be able to say to him ‘I’m doing something about it’ and ‘our community is doing something about it.'”
Charleston Police Chief Brent Webster, along with Cpl. Errol Randle, have been involved with the effort.
“Ultimately, my department is able to develop practices and initiatives that are both effective and efficient while exercising empathy and respecting human dignity,” Webster said. “Community engagement is the bridge for the Charleston Police Department to be one with the community.”
Smith said developing a strong relationship with Charleston police has been key.
“Our mutual goals of fighting racism together and improving and broadening community policing were shared goals,” he said.
The organizations involved in the effort include the Charleston Police Department, the Call to Action for Racial Equality (CARE) coalition, which includes representatives from a number of groups.
The effort has lead to advancements such as Handle With Care, Project West Invest and the RESET initiative.