BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — You’ll be hard-pressed to find young people at the NYPD's 81st Precinct Community Council meetings, but a Bed-Stuy resident is trying to change that.
Dweynie Paul launched the Young Men’s Leadership Initiative, an event that is one of several efforts being made by community members hoping to improve the relationship between police officers and neighborhood residents.
In the aftermath of the December murders of two officers near the Tompkins Houses, Brooklyn’s Community Board 3 has been taking citizens' suggestions on ways to foster positive connections between law enforcement and the public.
Paul's leadership initiative is aimed at providing career opportunities, conflict resolution techniques and increasing community involvement for local teens.
Inspiration for the forum came after a heated November precinct meeting, Paul said. During the gathering, an older resident brought two teenage boys who voiced concerns over alleged mistreatment from the NYPD, including rough questioning and unnecessary force.
Deputy Inspector Scott Henderson listened to the teens’ issues and commended them on their efforts to proactively engage with the precinct, but was met with hostility and interruptions from the two.
“Those were frustrated young men. When you see that, that’s a cry,” Paul said at this month’s meeting.
“What came out of that was a greater need for the community to support them. Sometimes resources are there for young men but getting them to commit to coming out is hard.”
The Metropolitan Black Bar Association is partnering with the 81st Precinct and its community council for the March 7 event at Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church. Attorneys, community leaders and officers from the area will speak to teens and help with issues including career questions and communication skills.
At Tuesday's precinct community council meeting, one resident noted the lack of youth in attendance and called for a similar initiative for young women.
In addition to Paul's event, council president Martha Works announced a new segment to February's agenda in which officers introduced themselves to attendees, took questions and described their responsibilities in the neighborhood.
“The reason why we’re making a change is because we want to have a clear understanding of what our officers do and their positions, so when you see them, this is bridging the gap between community and police,” Works said.
“We’re trying to establish that we are one in the 81st Precinct.”
“It's important we see each other and know what their names are, and we need to speak and interact with one another so there’s a greeting going back and forth, for a matter of courtesy and a matter of respect.”
Henderson vowed to rebuild trust between residents and officers during the start of his tenure at the eastern Bed-Stuy precinct and recently called for a push toward "community policing." He could not be immediately reached for comment for this story.
