QUOTES
02:41 "This community has come to know me, this department. They trust us. They know we'll make mistakes but we own them. But the key here is the relationship and that includes our local activists."
06:32 "When you have a trust-based relationship with folks, when you speak, they believe you."
12:55 "When you talk about activists that haven't always agreed with this department but we can come together, sit in a table, and talk about the differences and they're okay."
19:54 "What we have here in Detroit is family and leadership. And so that's why people are coming home. And so really that's a testament to this team and what we do and what we provide here in the city of Detroit."
22:15 "My message is simple: show some appreciation, be bold and courageous and stop putting your finger up in the air and blowing to see which way the wind is blowing."
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SUMMARY
In this episode of the National Police Association Podcast, Sgt. Betsy Smith interviews Detroit Police Chief James Craig as he explains that transparency and a trust-based relationship with citizens is the only way they can refute the false narratives and violence incited by outsiders.
James also discusses the role of leadership in maintaining security and a sense of family that makes his citizens want to support their city. Finally, he discusses how both citizens and police officers can do their part to overcome anti-police activism.
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HIGHLIGHTS
01:22 Community support: The key to Detroit's resilience to calls to defunding
05:15 Transparency and body cameras refute false narratives against police
11:33 Successfully engaging the community and activists in dialogue
19:03 Detroit's success in leadership and recruitment
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RESOURCES