Imagine a scenario with local law enforcement leaders having frank and meaningful discussions about hot-button, police-related topics with South Mississippi citizens…with heated exchanges between police and the public, and even a humorous video by comedian Chris Rock.
If it sounds too good to be true, it’s not, because it really happened June 8 at the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church in D’Iberville. Keith Davis, police chief at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Perkinston Campus, hosted the event and set up a panel of five local law enforcement leaders who took questions from the 100 or so people in the crowd. Davis and others think this type of program is vital in the wake of several local and national incidents where law enforcement officers and the public were at odds with each other.
“This is about bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community,” Davis said. “This is a dialogue. When we started to put this together, some people told me we can’t do this because it would turn into ‘police bashing.’ But if we’re going to bridge this gap between us and the community, we have to start by talking about the issues.”
Davis, who is a member of Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church, also said this seminar was the vision of Pastor Kenneth Davis.
The main issue discussed was how citizens should conduct themselves during encounters with law enforcement. Terms like probable cause, reasonable suspicion, and hot pursuit were defined, while tips for behavior during traffic stops were also explored.
“It’s about respect,” Davis said. “Be polite, stay calm, allow the officer to explain the situation, don’t make any assertive movements, keep your hands in sight, and always tell the officer if you have a weapon in your car.”
The law enforcement panel members all agreed that keeping those tips in mind can mean the difference between a routine traffic stop and a stressful encounter.
“Traffic stops are the most dangerous things we do,” said Clay Jones, head of the Mississippi Law Enforcement Academy. “Any officer that tells you he’s never been scared in his life is lying. We’re human, and we don’t know what’s going to happen when we approach a vehicle. Please take that into consideration if you’re ever pulled over.”
One of the more compelling stories of the evening was that of Rodney Stewart, a Biloxi man who had spent seven years in prison but is now on his way to becoming a preacher.
“I’ve been arrested and chased by every one of these panel members,” Stewart said. “But I want to thank all of you, because some in prison say that I wasn’t arrested, I was rescued.”
“Did we treat you fairly?” asked Paul Cannette, police chief for Biloxi Public Schools.
“Yes,” replied Stewart, who gave each officer a hug during the program.
“We want you to know we care about you, we care about all of our citizens, we care about these young people, and we want to make sure they have a great future,” said Wayne Payne, D’Iberville police chief. “If you have a concern or a complaint, my door is always open. There are avenues you can take if you feel like an incident with the police needs to be investigated.”
Davis, Jones, Cannette, and Payne were joined on the panel by Lt. Bobby Darden of the Biloxi Police Department and Dennis Stevenson, Mississippi Highway Patrol state trooper and Pastor of the New Faith Missionary Baptist Church in Moss Point.
