GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Families in Grand Rapids met directly with members of the city’s police department Thursday to try to come up with ways in which they can work together to help kids in the area amid an uptick in youth crime.
“We don’t have broken children,” said Samika Douglas, senior community liaison at LINC UP. “We have a broken community, so we have to get away from 'our youth is broken,' 'our troubled youth,' things like that. No. We have a broken community, so if our community fixes itself to come together as a community, we can change the narrative.”
LINC UP hosted the event. Douglas says people in Grand Rapids, particularly in its Black and brown neighborhoods, do not always trust police officers so get-togethers like this create an opportunity to build trust.
About a dozen community members and half a dozen GRPD officers attended. They split into two groups and discussed things like what safety means, needed resources to ensure it and how they can improve outcomes for kids ages 12-20 years old.
Denise Rolland, who moved to Grand Rapids a year ago, says the event helped her understand that everyone can work together.
“We just won’t be in that mentality that [it’s] police against the community or community against police,” said Rolland. “A lot of times we’re judging a book by it’s cover… and it’s not really what it looks like.”
Javon Sanders, a GRPD officer, agreed.
“I think coming together and understanding that we have a job to do [and that] community members, we want them to feel safe, bring some transparency on what officers do and why,” said Sanders.
LINC UP will host another Stop the Hate meeting on August 12. It will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club of Grand Rapids.
Check out our list of community resources available to help in West Michigan.