6.2 . B Create a plan to encourage patrol officers to attend community events , patronize diverse restaurants , meet with different community leaders , and make connections with residents .
6.2 . C Create an immersion program for officers to connect to the communities they serve . Suggestions include having officers live in their beat for one week and connect with HOAs and other organizations that serve the area .
City Lead - PD Timeframe - Short term ( 6-12 months ) – IN PROGRESS
• The Police Department strives to recruit diverse officers to serve in field training roles . More importantly , cultural diversity and relational policing priorities will be developed in officers who serve the community . The Police Academy also hosts community panels focused on policing in minority communities .
City Lead - PD Timeframe - Medium term ( 1-2 years ) – IN PROGRESS
• Newly hired officers participate in community projects throughout their academy instruction experience . The academy hosts community panels focused on policing in minority communities . APD has added community contact mark-outs to the dispatch system to track officer activity . APD is also re-emphasizing the Community Service Award Bar .
City Lead - PD Timeframe - Long term ( 3-5 years ) – IN PROGRESS
• Police Department and CMO will review this recommendation and bring policy and budgetary changes to Council as needed while keeping the Council and the community up to date on progress towards this goal . The Police Department places an emphasis on holding beat officers accountable for knowing their beat and stakeholders .