Is there anything more frightening than the images of police dressed in full combat gear, facing a civilian crowd - in America
Events in Missouri over the past weeks have become iconic, and bring to mind the balance of freedom and public safety - as the police leaders and politicians in Ferguson Missouri are now under fire for the mishandling of an incident involving an unarmed black teen shot dead by a policeman and also the gross mishandling of its aftermath. Peaceful protests that morphed into rioting and looting followed in the wake of the death of 18 year old Michael Brown.
But in this case, was the lack of leadership, and confusing mixed messages from numerous government and police agencies, that were also mixed with a stunning mishandling of official information from the police to residents, the shot that truly started this battle?
As history seems to show, the best way to keep the public safe and the police in good standing with the community is to foster a trusting relationship between the police and civilians.
Nutley Commissioner Steven Rogers, a retired Detective Lt. of the Nutley Police Department and also a former military officer assigned to national joint terrorism task force from 2001-2003, has been busy lately speaking on Fox news, as an expert in such matters.
“There has been an epic failure in leadership on all levels of government regarding Ferguson and this may be indicative of a national problem.” noted Rogers in an interview with this paper. “What we are seeing is that no one is in charge. And when no one is in charge you have chaos.
“We have seen several news conferences created by several players such as the local police, highway patrol, the governor, and even the president of the United States. None of these media events were coordinated and they were not of any value to a solution - none at all. The residents and the police officers in Ferguson deserve better.”
A major problem that troubles Rogers and former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kirik who appeared on FOX News together is the police deployment of military hardware during the initial stages of the protests.
“Hundreds of police departments across the U.S. received military hardware post 9/11,” said Rogers. “These were given to police departments to prepare for possible terrorists attacks or very large and violent riots. As far as I am concerned the residents of Ferguson and the police officers who were called to address the protests were victimized by failed leadership and failed policy. When you provide military equipment to a police department the control has to be stringent as to when the police will deploy them. These are American people, our citizens, protesting. It sends a chilling effect.” Commissioner Kirik agreed and said that there is a time and place to use this equipment. The first days of this protest, he agreed, were not the time or place.
Now, with the National Guard on site in Missouri, the question remains: will what is happening in Ferguson, inspire more protests across the nation?
“We all hope this does not escalate nationally,” said Rogers. “All of us in government and law enforcement can learn a few lessons from what we have been witnessing. First, the most effective protest is in the ballot box. Victims of bad policy makers need to vote and replace the people who they have lost confidence in-and I am talking about elected officials. Second, we need to be proactive and create policies designed to bring the police and the people together, says Rogers. Third, we need to understand that police officers across this nation have a very difficult job and do it very well. The police are not the enemy of the people, nor are the people the enemy of the police. We have the same common goals, to live and work in safe and secure neighborhoods. As I said before, it all boils down to leadership,” says Rogers.
Rogers said he believes Community Policing could hold answers for troubled communities everywhere.
“I believe in community policing,” he said. “Because of the failure of our government in Washington to substantially fund proactive policing programs, the police have been put in a very difficult position and gotten away from personal contact with the people, and this is the result.”
Back in the 1990’s, it turns out, Nutley and Montclair were one of the first towns in New Jersey to launch community policing programs.
“Nutley and Montclair started that model, and a bond grew between residents and the police as a result. Crime went down in Montclair, and the city was growing, and it really was a model for the rest of the nation, said former Montclair police chief Thomas J. Russo who served as chief from 1992 - 2000 and then as director of public safety from 2000 – 2002.
“The Community policing idea is never going to die,” said Russo. “It’s an old concept but though it may fade it will then surge and come back. When I was police chief I always operated under the intention that my primary duties must protect the lives and property of all citizens of the community; enforce laws impartially and combat crime, (which) you can’t do it without the involvement of the community. There’s an old term: you have to expand the eyes and ears of the community. Police cannot combat crime and do this all on their own.”
Another former police chief from Nutley, Robert DeLitta, who served from 1990 - 2004, also agreed.
“We were in the forefront of community policing,” said DeLitta. The state of New Jersey used Nutley as a model.”
DeLitta explained how having an open line of communication with the public not only created a happier town but also a safer community.
“Community Policing works - no two ways about it,” said DeLitta. “It gets the pubic on your side and without that, the police have no credibility you have a serious problem.”
DeLitta said that the Nutley Police Department hosted open public awareness meetings at town hall; publicized the meetings and encouraged the public to discuss hot topics that were controversial, such as police brutality and corruption.
“We had partnerships with schools, a vertical patrol that went to all of the apartment complexes and knocked on doors, since these people were more isolated form the police. And we worked with businesses,” he added. “We had a lot of interaction between the police and the public. It was a priority and it works.”
Rogers, who was president of the New Jersey Community Policing Association back in the 90’s helped Montclair Police build their programs. “We all worked together, side by side with residents, and it worked,” says Rogers.
Russo added, “We had police officers from Irvington, Jersey City, New York City and East Orange meet in Montclair in the fourth ward helping residents take back their streets.”
Rogers said he believes community policing can help in these troubled times, and should be active in towns across the country.
“As a first step we need to engage clergy from all faiths. The clergy speak to more people on a Sunday than any of us in government or law enforcement do in 6 months,” says Rogers.
He adds that local clergy have a lot of influence in our communities. We need to tap into this vital resource.
The Nutley model was so successful Rogers was sent to Israel by the NJ Attorney General in 1991 to instruct at the Israeli police academy in 1991.
Rogers and former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kirik talked about how there must be transparency, timely dissemination of information, and most importantly one person in charge, on FOX News.
They both agreed that when there is a disconnect between the police and the community, the chance of violence and unrest, along with confusion, is always possible.
Rogers and Commissioner Kirik also agreed that the police can be a positive and welcomed force in all communities, especially in times of trouble.
Chief DeLitta summed it up simply - and clearly. “With community policing there was a lot of interaction between the public and police department,” he said. “It’s a priority - and it works.”
