WICHITA, KAN. - Law enforcement alone can’t solve all the crime problems in our communities, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said Wednesday at a statewide meeting of police officers.
“We need to reach out to community leaders, property owners, churches, private businesses and schools – to anyone who is willing to work with us to make the community safer,” he said.
Beall spoke before more than 100 officers at the Kansas Peace Officers Association’s fall conference in Wichita. He urged them to join with the Justice Department and law enforcement agencies nationwide in observing Community Policing Week.
“We need to build our public safety efforts on a foundation of mutual trust and respect between police officers and the communities they serve,” he said.
Beall praised Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay for working to build community ties by inviting protesters to join police officers for a cookout in the park. He also cited the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center’s courses for officers on fair and impartial policing.
Beall had a personal message for officers, too.
“To all of you who continue to risk your lives day in and day out to keep us safe and protect our freedoms, thank you,” he said. “You have one of the hardest jobs in the world.”