Preventing Violence in Our Communities
We stand at a critical moment in American history. Both as Mayor and personally, I am shocked and deeply saddened by the brutal and indiscriminant attacks on police officers in Baton Rouge and Dallas, and my thoughts and prayers are with their families, their brother and sister officers, and their respective communities. But more broadly, I am saddened for us as a society. To quote President Obama, “these are attacks on public servants, on the rule of law, and on civilized society, and they have to stop.”
It is clear we have a lot of work to do to as a country to make sure that we continue to keep our communities safe, lawful, and free of crime, while making sure that we respect the rights, liberties, and lives of everyone in our increasingly diverse society. We are a nation of immigrants and are made stronger by our diversity of backgrounds, cultures, and opinions. In East Hartford, we try to honor this legacy and strive to be a beautiful, welcoming and wholesome community for all.
I am particularly proud of the East Hartford Police Department, which is working tirelessly in pursuit of this ideal. EHPD strives every day to be a model agency that supports and protects the citizens of East Hartford and all who travel to our town for work or play. The Department already operates with a high level of professionalism and respect for all members of our community, regardless of race, background, or culture. They are continually working through improved procedures, increased training, and conscious effort to serve our community beyond the degree of excellence they have already achieved.
I have full confidence in our Chief, Scott Sansom, his deputy chiefs and command staff, and the men and women of the East Hartford Police Department. I know they are taking steps to make sure that this is a safe community for all, and to prevent the kinds of interactions that have led to these terrible events. The servant leadership practiced by our department is exactly what is needed to increase connections between the community and the police and build a relationship of mutual respect and openness.
The East Hartford Police Department will continue to increase its community oriented policing activities, getting to know residents and business owners, hearing their concerns, and learning even more about the neighborhoods and communities they serve. We all have a stake in this. Each of us can affect, and be affected by a positive culture of openness and cooperation. There is no us versus them, there is no police and the community – we are one community. We succeed together.
In recent days and weeks many have reached out to show their strong support and trust for the incredible men and women of the police department, letting our officers know that they are valued members of this community. On their behalf I would like to express my gratitude for this reaffirmation of support and trust.