New Initiative Hopes to Rebuild Community Trust with Law Enforcement
On Wednesday, March 29, 2017 county residents, youth and local leaders joined Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Metro Division, and Cunningham Recreation for the second Healing Communities Through Play™ playground build at Druid Hills Park, 2801 Poinsett St. in Charlotte, NC. More than 100 volunteers worked together; police, youth and residents side by side, to build a playground.
Healing Communities Through Play™ is a new initiative that hopes to rebuild community trust and relations between local residents and law enforcement through building a playground. The program provides opportunities for police, youth, local residents and leaders to interact, communicate, get to know one another and focus on our commonalities rather than our differences. We are hoping this small initiative finds it way throughout the United States and starts to help in mending community relations with local law enforcement. One small step in the right direction. “It’s a small idea, but one that can hopefully change negative perceptions and have a positive impact on our local communities,” says Officer Chelsea Kidder with the CMPD.
