Bratton Talks Police-Community Relations, Crime Decline In The Bronx
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Police Commissioner Bill Bratton was in the Bronx Wednesday morning for a meeting with religious and community leaders.
As 1010 WINS' Juliet Papa reported, the meeting focused on reducing fears and tensions between cops and community as well as ways to continue the reduced crime in the area.
Shootings in the Bronx are down this month and murders are under 100 for a second year in a row.
Bratton Talks Police-Community Relations, Crime Decline In The Bronx
"What needs to be done to take advantage of that reduced crime situation up here. So now, at a time when crime has been reduced so dramatically, to build more bridges of trust with the communities," Bratton said.
Religious leaders said the issues of concern include the fallout and mistrust created from the stop-and-frisk program and a proposal of a citizens academy where police and civilians work on policing issues.
And according to Dr. Gabriel Salguero, of the Latin Coalition, "We're seeking the healing of the city."
Bratton Talks Police-Community Relations, Crime Decline In The Bronx
"We want to be part of the solution. It's easy to curse the darkness, but we're in the business of turning on the light and we committed that to the commissioner and also to the communities of color that we serve," Salguero said.
Rev. Michael Waldren said it's about moving forward on equal footing.
"And begin to share not just the ideas, but share experiences and what was said today: share power," he said.
That power sharing came from the citizens academy proposal, Papa reported.
Bratton said new training is addressing that issue.
"The police really do need to be willing to open up, to be a lot more transparent about what we're doing and why we're doing it," he said.
The police commissioner added that new officers will be training in the precincts they'll serve.
