09/18/2026
I’m still trying to put into words what I experienced this week.
As a member of the Police Chief’s Community Advisory Board, I was honored to be asked by our Chief of Police to facilitate our quarterly meeting—a three-hour session centered around relationship-building between our newest police cadets and members of the community.
When I first proposed this idea, I wanted to create something different from the typical question-and-answer format. I wanted small groups, honest conversation, and—most importantly—a space where people could speak openly and anonymously. I believe that sometimes we have to take away the fear of being judged before we can get to the heart of what people are really thinking and feeling.
And it worked.
What I witnessed was not a room divided into “police” and “community.”
I witnessed human beings finding common ground.
I watched young cadets, many of them in their early twenties, sit alongside community members and discover that they were concerned about many of the same things: safety, trust, respect, fairness, family, and the kind of community we all want to live in.
There were different perspectives. There were difficult conversations. There were moments of vulnerability. But there was also curiosity, compassion, and a willingness to listen.
Most importantly, people had the opportunity to work through those differences together—to consider how our perceptions and experiences can shape the way we interact with one another, and how understanding those differences can ultimately lead to better interactions in the real world.
In a time when conversations about law enforcement and our community can be especially difficult, I was reminded of something very simple:
Relationships matter. And sometimes the most meaningful progress begins with simply giving people a safe place to talk to one another.
I left that meeting deeply moved and incredibly grateful.
I am honored that our Chief trusted me to facilitate this conversation, and even more honored to have witnessed what happened when people were given the space to listen, speak honestly, and see one another as people first.
This experience meant more to me than I can really express. ❤️
