According to an article in the Marietta Daily Journal, the Cobb County Police Department recently met with the public it serves to allow the community’s input on policing expectations. They held a session at South Cobb High School and another in east Cobb.
At the south Cobb meeting, a concerned citizen expressed her gratitude to the officers and then voiced her concerns for her two black sons. She said that they routinely inspect their cars prior to driving to ensure that taillights are not broken and that brake lights are working so that they can avoid being pulled over. She requested that metrics be put in place to determine who is being stopped and for what reason. She felt that with this information, the community and the police could determine reality versus perception.
This citizen also asked that officer training encompass more issues of biases and prejudices. She claimed that people naturally have biases, “but the important thing is to recognize the bias and work to overcome it.”
Another attendee suggested that officers become more of a presence in the community by introducing themselves and by making themselves visible rather than performing their duties “from the car or the shade.”
The Cobb Commissioner encouraged the crowd to keep offering suggestions and explained that they “have the ability to hold us accountable.” The Commissioner felt that the south Cobb meeting was successful.
For those unable to attend either meeting, the International Association of Chiefs of Police has posted a survey online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/COBBCODPS.