City Councilwoman Luvertha August on Tuesday spoke about the relationship between law enforcement officers and Lake Charles residents.
The comments marked the first time a council member has publicly addressed recent gun violence, including the shooting deaths of three law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge on July 17.
One week earlier, five officers were shot and killed by a sniper in Dallas, an attack that occurred during a peaceful demonstration against the fatal police shootings of two black men — Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge on July 5 and Philando Castile in Minneapolis on July 6.
August said she chose to address the issue of police and community relations because a number of her constituents in the last few weeks have voiced concerns that the relationship would worsen. August said she wanted residents to know that the relationship officers have with the public will be both positive and respectful and will remain unaffected by events in other communities.
“We’re all horrified, truly horrified, at the senseless, tragic slayings of our law enforcement officials,” she said.
August said officers face stress every day. She talked about how each time an officer interacts with a person, whether during a traffic stop or while responding to a domestic violence call, the potential exists for the situation to take a dangerous or deadly turn.
August said that while fatal police shootings and attacks on officers have not been a concern in Lake Charles, residents are still troubled by what has been happening around the country.
“To the average layperson who has no contact with the police, they see what is going on in other places and this becomes a true fear,” she said. “It’s a lot of parents worried about their young sons.”
August said that over the years, she has seen firsthand the intense training local enforcement officers undergo. She said it helps create the foundation for a positive relationship with the community.
“The only people that have to worry are the ones trying to break the law,” she said.
August said residents in her district have also said there appears to be a lack of diversity within the area’s law enforcement agencies. She said the lack of diversity was “not due to a lack of trying” on the department’s behalf.
“The Police Department advertises for recruitment, they go to job fairs, they do all they can to entice eligible people to become part of law enforcement,” she said.
August said that in the department’s extensive vetting process, a number of candidates are eliminated. Sometimes the issue can be due to an arrest record or an inability to complete part of the department’s testing, she said.
“I just want to reassure the citizens of Lake Charles, nothing has changed as far as how things are going to be handled here. Our police force is not out there ready to take revenge on anybody because of what has happened somewhere else,” August said.
“It is going to be the same professionalism, courteousness, and the same respect that has been given. We hope the citizens return the same treatment to the officers.”
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