Greene Publishing, Inc. Photo By Emerald G. Parsons, August 23, 2016
Dedicating a portion of their time to serve as the Community Policing Forum's panel was law enforcement leaders from around the area. Pictured, from left to right, are: Eddie Black, Criminal investigator at the state attorney’s office; Lt. Charlotte Thompson, Florida Highway Patrol; Chief Ken Moore, Madison Police Department; Sheriff Ben Stewart, Madison County Sheriff's Office; and Jim Flournoy, Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Ashley Hunter
Greene Publishing, Inc.
“This is a start to building trust,” said Madison Police Department (MPD) Chief Ken Moore during the opening of Tuesday, Aug. 23's Community Policing Forum.
The forum, which was provided through the support of various local law enforcement groups, local businesses, and the City of Madison, was intended to give members of the community an opportunity to interact with the law enforcement officers who serve and protect them on a daily basis.
After a prayer, Merv Mattair was introduced as the forum's moderator, and Chief Moore welcomed the audience to the forum.
The speaker panel consisted of individuals from the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), Madison County Sheriff's Office (MCSO), Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and Madison Police Department (MPD).
Kicking the forum off, Rick Davis briefed the gathered crowd on the law enforcement training provided by the North Florida Community College's (NFCC) Police Academy, and presented the much anticipated Shoot-Don't-Shoot simulator to the audience.
For officers who are going through the police academy, it is neither practical nor safe to place them in dangerous real-life situations for the sake of training, but placing an officer under the stress of a possible active shooter scenario helps instructors determine the trainee's ability to handle stress, process the situation and respond. “Not all situations end well,” said MCSO's Captain Chris Andrews. “Some situations require an officer to use the ultimate force - deadly force.”
Officers who take part in the simulator are equipped with a reinforced vest that provides an electric shock to them when they have been 'shot' during the simulation, reinforcing the illusion that the simulation is happening in real life.
From the audience, Captain Andrews requested two volunteers to take part in the simulation for the sake of displaying just how graphic, fast paced and stress-riddled the simulation is. The first simulation involved the trainee, or in this case, volunteer being a bailiff in a courthouse when an active shooter erupts the courtroom in gunfire, taking out multiple individuals before eventually shooting the bailiff.
The scene only took a few seconds from start to finish, and the volunteer was powerless to stop the active shooter. After the simulation's end, Captain Andrews advised that very few officers are able to respond quickly enough to prevent their own death during the simulation, much less the death of the second or third victim; it is, essentially, a no-win situation for many officers.
Following the Shoot-Don't-Shoot presentation, the speaker panel was opened, and a mic was provided so that anyone with questions regarding law enforcement could freely pose their inquiry.
Moderator Mattair requested that the audience remain cordial, in their discussions, as this was not a time for accusations and complaints, since the forum was provided, to inform the public about police procedures and give law enforcement the opportunity to get to know the community they serve. While many individuals complied with that request to remain respectful and open-minded in their inquiries, tempers did flare a few times during the evening as upset individuals used the open mic to air grievances they had with the MPD or MCSO. Even though some questions were posed as accusations and some inquiries were demands, the speaker panel remained respectful to their audience, answering the questions that were posed to them and trying to cool flaring tempers within the community.
Various questions that were posed by the audience included:
How can an African American person stay safe and respectful during a traffic stop? Chief Moore advised that the best way to show an officer that you are complying is to keep your hands where the officer can see them, preferably on the steering wheel. “If an officer cannot see your hands, you are immediately a threat,” said Chief Moore. Sheriff Stewart also added that many people try to complain about the stop to the officer who pulled them over, but that is not the place to debate the stop. “Don't [let it] finish there,” said Stewart. “Bring your complaints to a superior officer later.”
To what extent are traffic stops monitored? Sheriff Stewart took that question, answering by saying that officers in Madison are required to use body cams and vehicle cams during their shift. “Since 1989, we have had vehicular cams in our cars, and for the last four years, we have had body cameras on our officers,” said Sheriff Stewart. “We were one of the first in the nation to have body cameras.” Sheriff Stewart added that while each traffic stop is very closely monitored, should an individual be treated wrongly by an officer during a stop, it is their ultimate responsibility to report it, not hope that a superior officer sees the body cam footage and responds.
If a homeowner shoots an intruder in their home, should they shoot to kill or shoot to maim? The individual had been told by various people that killing an intruder would be breaking the law, but had been told by others that shooting to maim is endangering herself for a lawsuit. “You have a right to protect your home and your life, period,” said Chief Moore. If an individual is placed in a scenario where they fear for their life, they have a right to defend themselves using whatever force is required.
The speakers were also asked their opinions on open-carry on college grounds. Many individuals on the panel spoke with great concern regarding open-carry, including Chief Moore, who said that he believes it causes problems for law enforcement officers and endangers the carriers. Should a shooter enter school grounds, an individual who is open carrying makes a target of himself, according to Chief Moore. Further, anyone who is openly wielding a gun when law enforcement responds will be considered a threat. “I think open-carry is an insane law,” said Moore.
The speakers were also asked what could be done about scams against seniors, to which Sheriff Stewart responded that very little could be done, due to the off-shore or out of state location of many scammers.
During the open floor session, many individuals also expressed their gratitude to the officers and agencies who serve Madison County. While many expressed discord during the event, gratitude, goodwill and encouragement was the overall theme as countless people thanked their law enforcement for standing on the front line and making the hard calls that come with protecting a community.
Following the open panel, a raffle was held for various gift certificates to local restaurants such as Ken's BBQ, Norris Cafe and Cucinella's pizzeria as well as tickets to a NFCC Artist Series production.