Cape Coral residents shared their perception of the police department and voiced their opinion of its programs and quality of service Saturday during a forum.
About forty people participated in the community engagement forum, held from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tarpon Point Marina. The event kicked off the police department’s new community engagement program, a multi-part initiative designed to break down barriers between local law enforcement and citizens.
Sixty-two residents had originally signed up to participate. Those who showed were divided into four groups of about 10 each and given a list of questions to discuss.
Dr. Jennifer James-Mesloh, with the Institute of Government at Florida Gulf Coast University, served as the overall facilitator at the forum. As she bounced from group to group and listened to the discussions, James-Mesloh found several reoccurring themes.
“People really wanted more interaction with the police department,” she said.
Residents voiced support for the forum and wished for additional ones, and town hall style meetings a couple times a year hosted by the police chief present were discussed. They mentioned daily, online community briefings to know what is going on in areas.
The level of safety felt in the community was another issue brought up.
Participants said they specifically moved to the Cape or heard about others moving to the city just because of how safe Cape Coral is. The majority of locals present felt that they could go out at all hours of the day or night without putting themselves in danger.
“They felt perfectly safe,” James-Mesloh said.
Citizens also had a strong sense of some of the programs provided by police, including the victim’s advocate program, citizens’ police academy and lock it or lose it program, a vehicle and home burglary prevention program. She said most supported these services.
The handful of participants who reported that they had filed complaints with the police department said their complaints were handled professionally by the department.
Following the group discussions, each group’s assigned moderator provided the room with a short summary of what was discussed. Interim Police Chief Jay Murphy then addressed the citizens and some of the issues and concerns that they brought forward.
“Communication was one of the common themes,” he said.
To open the doors of communication and better interact with the public, the department has created a new website and social networking sites. Murphy said a new program is planned where citizens can text crime tips to the police using their phones.
The website will also soon feature an interactive map that residents can use to learn about recent crime occurrences in the city, such as a home burglary on a nearby street.
Murphy addressed the concern of the audience for younger or less experienced officers to come across as less polite or less friendly. He explained that the department recently hired about 100 officers within 18 months, about doubling the Cape department’s force.
Veteran officers were moved off patrol and officers with a few years of experience are now training the fresh recruits. Though officers undergo a “verbal judo” class to learn to de-escalate situations, the department is looking at additional communication training.
“We need to do a better job and we’re going to work on that,” Murphy said. “The younger officers, the friendlier officers, that’s something we’ve recognized.”
Cape resident Edward “Clark” Shedden participated in Saturday’s forum for “public interest” and to voice his support for hearing about more cost-savings proposals for the department. He said a streamlining of the department without inefficiency is important.
“Trying to help the police department in our suggestions to do better,” Shedden said.
He called the forum well structured, but wished for more time for group discussion.
Shedden supported sharing one school resource officer among several schools and reimplementing the department’s electronic roll call to prevent loss of accountability or face-to-face training. He liked the idea of a friendlier, more approachable police force.
“People love that,” Shedden said of officers waving back or offering a smile.
James-Mesloh will compile the feedback that she received at the forum with feedback received through the web and social networking sites. The information will be presented Thursday at 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers at city hall, at 1015 Cultural Park Blvd.
Officials encourage the public is to attend. Those unable to do so can find the report online.
“Our experiences today validate the need for us to continue this community interaction,” Murphy said.