This Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon, the First United Methodist A-M-E Church in Belton is teaming up with the Belton police department to host a community policing symposium.
The two organizations are hoping to help increase the bond between the police and the communities they serve.
The event will be held at the Harris Community Center in Belton. During this symposium, topics being discussed include issues concerning the community, how poCutlice and citizens are interacting with each other and keeping crime down in the city.
Pastor Keith Gavin organized the event and believes events like this are critical in making sure the community and police stay on the same page.
“Systemically within the greater nation everyone knows we see a lot of the killings and all of the acquittals and so a lot of people have concerns in the churches whenever you meet folks on the street and you just talk to them they always have issues about that,” Gavin said.
Pastor Gavin said due to the violence displayed in the recent media, he was prompted to create this community event.
Belton’s Chief of Police Gene Ellis also believes events like this are critical to maintain relationships between the community and police.
“I think it’s important that we understand that in law enforcement that we police by the community’s consent, and we need to understand what the expectations of the community are on us and the only way we can do that is actually having open dialogue with the community,” Ellis said.
The Harris Community Center is located at 401 N. Alexander Belton, TX 76513. There will also be free lunch served after the event.
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