(KNSI) — What community leaders call a relationship-building tool between St. Cloud’s communities of color and its police department was showcased during this month’s local Optimist International Club’s Lessons in Leadership event Wednesday.
The St. Cloud Community Policing Agreement was signed in 2005 after the city participated in a statewide study on how frequently drivers were stopped for traffic violations. The study found St. Cloud and several other cities were pulling over black drivers at a significantly higher rate than others.
Police Chief Jeff Oxton tells KNSI News that it was a historical event to pull all the people together, and there was no blueprint for anything like this. “This didn’t come up from an outline that somebody gave us. This was created by the individuals that took the time and the commitment to come to the table and have many, many conversations over a long period of time. And that gives it its power.”
It took stakeholders more than a dozen meetings over two years to hash out the deal. Chief Oxton was part of crafting the document and says it has made a positive difference. “At the end of the day, people have to understand that nobody is suggesting this is the one-stop shop for all solutions. What this is, though, is something that came about by people from the community getting together. And it was really made and created by the people for the people.”
Higher Ground Church of God in Christ Pastor James Alberts explained to KNSI how getting all sides to the table was the key to putting together the governing structure with the police department. “Community policing is exactly that. It’s community policing. And so we all have a vested interest in keeping our community safe, having an understanding across all different perspectives.”
The contract spells out three key points. They are how to have fair and impartial policing, diversity, community engagement and support, and a transparent complaint process. The agreement also established a civil review board.
In 2018, the deal was revised and signed a second time after St. Cloud’s East African population began to surge. The agreement is revisited annually by its signers, with the next meeting to take place in March. An exact date has yet to be set.
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