WASHINGTON —聽An evaluation of the Metropolitan Police Department by an independent board found that聽the department needs to improve on building better and meaningful relationships with residents.
On Friday, the District of Columbia’s Police Complaints Board issued a report on the status of the Metropolitan Police Department and how it can improve based on the best practices outlined in the of聽President Barack Obama’s聽task force on 21st century policing.
The report聽found that the police force is聽developing strategies and initiatives聽as recommended by聽the聽task force.
But it also found that the department聽needs to improve聽its聽relationship with residents. One suggestion was for officers to go into neighborhoods for prolonged periods of time and cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect. The goal is for the聽community to聽see police as allies instead of an聽occupying force.
The police force also聽needs to develop new ways to engage the community on social media, according to the report.
The Police Complaints Governing Board also found that the department needed to change its culture when it comes to dealing with people聽seeking help for mental health or emotional issues, problems聽that聽should not be regarded聽as signs of weakness.
