July 30, 2010

The Phoenix Community Engagement and Outreach Task Force will be holding a series of public hearings and youth summits to take input from the community. The Task Force has scheduled six general hearings and two Teen/Young Adult Summits, all in August.

The Task Force was created in the spring, with the goal of engaging and collaborating with the Phoenix community to enhance police relations by creating dialogue and partnerships. The group is working to develop and implement an action plan to increase confidence that Phoenix Police will treat all people with respect, dignity and professionalism.

The hearings are taking place all around the city, with two of them held in both English and Spanish.

“This series of public hearings is designed to reach out to all Phoenix residents,” said Gerald Richard, Task Force member who is chairing the hearings. “It is an opportunity to hear from Phoenix residents about their relationship with Phoenix police officers. We encourage all who wish to be heard to attend.”

The Teen/Young Adult summits will take input from a diverse group of young people. The college and high school students who are participating already have been invited. Other outreach efforts include focus groups with various stakeholders.

“We are reaching out to Phoenix’s young residents to understand how they interact with Police and within their community,” said Gail Knight, Task Force member and chair of the Teen/Young Adult Summits. “We expect their insights to enlighten us as we move toward bringing Phoenix residents and Police closer together.”

The Public Hearings are scheduled at the dates, times and locations listed below:

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