Officers with the Selma Police Department are taking steps to form a bond with the people in the community. Several officers made a stop in the Chanticlear Apartments Friday and delivered Kona Ice to the local children.

Friday’s stop was just the first in what the department plans to be a summer full of them.  Lt. Natasha Fowlkes said officers will visit every ward in Selma at least three times before the summer ends.

The point of the initiative is to get people the chance to get to know our city’s police officers, which can only strengthen our city.

It’s no secret that Selma has a high crime rate and right now the city’s homicide rate is on track to outpace the numbers from 2015.  A stronger bond between the community and our police force can only help improve both of those problems and if nothing else, increases the likelihood that someone might call the police if they have information about a recent crime.

Many local children grow up without knowing much about police. Oftentimes, they think an officer is only there if you’re doing something wrong. In some cases, that uneasiness feeling moves into adulthood. It’s important for people to understand the job that officers do and how they are helping to keep our communities safe. It’s also important for the police department to take steps to create trust between officers and the community that they serve.

We applaud the department for taking this step and encourage citizens to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know our local officers if they make a stop in their neighborhood.