RPD working on community engagement

All of the department's face to face events have been cancelled but they're working on putting virtual ones together.

Daybreak new for you on daybreak, police reform has been at the forefront of a lot of people's minds following the death of george floyd at the hands of four minneapolis police officers.

Kimt news 3's madelyne watkins checked in with the rochester police department to see what they're doing to reassure the community right now.

She joins us live now.

Madelyne./// brooke and tyler.

A lot of people in rochester are probably a little uneasy for a variety of different reasons right now ?

"*?

"* from the pan and the recent protests.

And i'm told the rochester police department has a full?

"*time commitment to keeping up with their community engagement to try and help alleviate some of that stress.

So this is video of coffee with a cop ?

"*?

"* a event that's been put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Captain jeff stilwell tells me the department has spent the last two years bulding a lot of close relationships with community members so people feel comfortable.

He says it's important people know they can go to the rochester police department for any questions they may have... and in his opinion, it shouldn't take a global crisis to know you can reach out "without that trusting relationship, it's very easy ?

"*?

"* and we see this is in communities that have historically been marginalized and haven't had the greatest relationship with the police or other parts of the system ?*- ?

"* that you have to build thoe relationships of trust before you can really move forward."

Captain stilwell tells me once you build those relationships with law enforcement..

That's when you'll start seeing real structural change.

Live in rochester.

Madelyne watkins kimt thank you madelyne.

He says all of r?

"*p?

"*d's community engagement on a face to face basis has been canceled... but they are working on more virtual events in the coming months, so be on the look out for that.

The rochester police department is also working with the olmsted county sheriff's office on how they respond to mental health calls.

For the last two years, they've had a social worker within both departments to help with de?

"*escalation efforts.

The departments are working on models to reduce the need for police intervention with people experiencing a mental health crisis.

Olmsted county is also building a mental health crisis center which will help people