Minneapolis police cadets got a dose of history with their training this week as the department's newest recruits took a special tour of the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery (MAAHMG). The visit was part of an ongoing initiative to ingrain community engagement and understanding of local history in the heart of law enforcement education. Leading the educational endeavor was Christopher Gaiters, Assistant Chief of Community and Trust alongside Brian O’Hara, Chief of Police, and Katie Blackwell, Assistant Chief of Operations.
The community engagement cadets, in a program designed to bridge the gap between police and the public, were given an opportunity to delve deeper into the cultural fabric of the state they’ll serve as they walked through exhibits chronicling the stories and achievements of Minnesota's African American communities during their visit, the Minneapolis Police Department said on Facebook.
This initiative by the Minneapolis Police Department is part of a broader effort to enhance the understanding of cops on the beat, by exposing them to the multifaceted history and struggles of the communities they will patrol and protect, recognizing the role this plays in building community trust. In their tour of the MAAHMG, cadets were exposed to both triumphant moments and painful episodes from the past, which officials hope will inform a more empathetic and informed police force.
The engagement tour included discussions on the significance of better knowing and acknowledging the rich history of the African American experience in Minnesota, with Gaiters noting the importance of such endeavors as central to fostering relationships based on respect and understanding, the department's Facebook post detailed, while Chief O'Hara and Assistant Chief Blackwell’s presence signaled a top-down commitment to this philosophy development and application among the force moving forwards which is a critical step for a department faced with overcoming a history of tension and mistrust within its community.
Community reactions have been cautiously optimistic, with some locals expressing approval for the police department's effort to engage with historical education as a foundation for better community relations. Though it remains to be seen how such initiatives will actualize in the everyday practices of the officers and the department at large, the tour reflects a starting point; for the cadets, a first foray into the extensive tapestry of the community they aspire to serve with dignity and fairness.
