MPD reaches out to community

EDITORIALS: The Monroe Journal - August 17, 2017

Monroeville Police Department reaches out to community

It’s clear that under the leadership of Chief Mandee Armstrong, Lt. Eric Simon and Cpt. Alfred Carter that the Monroeville Police Department has set a goal to be more than just an enforcer of public safety in the city.

That couldn’t have been more obvious a couple of weeks ago when department employees sponsored Junior Policeman Day at the department. Not only did the young participants receive much-needed school supplies, backpacks and a bag lunch, they also had an educational experience that we hope they’ll share with their friends.

Simon and Carter along with Investigators Brian House and Keith White and others provided an informational tour of the department. Their goal wasn’t to scare or intimidate the children into making the right choices, but more so to provide them with the fact that illegal drug use and other criminal activities can ruin their lives.

Carter showed them what some of the drugs look like and explained how they cause severe physical and mental effects to persons who use them. He also warned that even prescription drugs are harmful when they’re not taken as instructed by a doctor.

House took the children to the investigators’ office and explained how unsolved crimes are investigated and how evidence is gathered. White explained the process of fingerprinting and even fingerprinted the children on cards that they were allowed to take home and share with their parents.

With so much negative attention, caused by a few bad apples in law enforcement, directed at the men and women in blue in recent years across the country – fortunately not here – building a bond with the communities they serve has become a national movement for city, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies.

Having citizens perceive them as contributing members of the community rather than as strong-arm enforcers is very important to having a successful police department that can count on people in the communities to help them get criminals off the streets and out of our neighborhoods.

Monroeville expresses its goals even on the very patrol cars they drive with the words “Duty, Honor, Community” imprinted on them. And, we believe that everyone employed by the Monroeville Police Department is sincerely working to do their duty with honor and with the community’s best interest at heart.

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