KENNEWICK, Wash. – The Kennewick Police Department is working on transparency to build up trust in the community. KPD has released to the public, body cam footage, dash cam footage and police reports.
Sergeant Chris Littrell of KPD has released information on social media.
Littrell told me his officers as well as himself expect professionalism while responding to a call.
“We have three core values,” said Littrell. “Integrity, courage and commitment. We expect them to be living those on every single call.”
Littrell says they’ve been working and trying to perfect transparency over the years.
“If you’re not out there being committed to professional police services on every single contact,” said Littrell. “All that other stuff isn’t going to make the community feel like we’re being open or transparent.”
I wanted to find out from the community if they trust law enforcement.
One of the people we talked to did and the other did not.
Nikki Smith says a few years ago, she was in a bad relationship. Things started becoming physical for the first time so she called the police for help.
“A couple of policemen talk to my partner at the time,” said Smith. “They then talked to me and within about ten minutes they made an arrest, and the arrest was me. Not the person who was strangling me.”
Smith said when she was being arrested she would’ve liked to get an explanation as to why.
On the other hand, Juliet says every time she’s needed help, they’ve been there.
“They’ve come to the rescue a lot,” said Juliet. “So I do appreciate that.”
Littrell says improving transparency and trust is an ongoing process and it takes two to build a relationship of trust.
“Let’s have some honest dialog,” said Littrell. “We need that, right? If the police are closed off and we just focus interior on the inside instead of focusing on going out and trying to engage the community, the community becomes isolated or insulated. Isn’t trying to reciprocate or try to extend that relationship back? It will be impossible for us to build trusting relationships.”
Smith still doesn’t trust the police.
She does say they are being slightly more transparent and listening to the whole story.
Juliet says if law enforcement just stays authentic it’s easier to trust them.
