1. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Holiday Celebration & Town Hall Meeting
Craig Memorial Community Church
Rev. Sherwood A. Walker, Pastor
Deborah Speight, Event, Chair
Monday, January 19, 2015
Town Hall Meeting Panelist
Mayor Lillian Thompson-Martin, Fairmount Heights
Chief of Police Stephen R. Watkins, Fairmount Heights
Shenise (Chee) Thompson Soto, M.S., Class of 85’ FH
Alexius Gantt, High School Student
Minister Raymond Harrod, Youth Minister
LaTaunya Howard, Moderator
Audience Participants
Erwin Brown
Rev. Gloria Canady
Susan Diane Crowner
Cassandra Hewlett
LaShawn Smith
Patricia Waiters, Town Council Member, Fairmount Heights
Questions & Solutions
What is the problem?
Communication by having dialogue with the community and police officers seemed to be the
consensus. Not just having it once in a while but frequently.
Community groups need to have honest discussions among themselves as well as with law
enforcement officials. There seems to be a lack of resources for programs that will benefit the
youth. There is definitely a lack of respect for police officers. There is a lot of bullying among
school students as well as gangs in the schools. Churches also need to work with community
groups. There is a lack of parental guidance for a lot of children and we need to go back to the
basics for the rearing of our children.
Working in churches is okay but members need to go beyond those walls on Sunday morning
and become involved in their communities. They need to partner with the Mayor’s office as well
as with the Police Department. Students normally will talk bad about the police because of a
negative involvement they may have had or something that they have seen or heard that affects
the way they look at them.

2. Funding and budget issues are also problems.
Why is there no respect for Police Officers?
Respect for each other is definite an issue among police and Black males. A person need to first
have respect for him/herself in order to respect someone else. In years pass there were police
officers who did foot patrol and got to know the community in which they policed.
Until you have had an opportunity to work with a group of policemen/women you may have
negative thoughts but after working with them your attitude will change and you appreciate the
work they are doing to protect the citizens.
Media can play a negative role to people on what they report to their audiences. One should get
the facts correct before they began to spread rumors that are sometimes not correct. Where is the
Media when good things are taking place? For instance, a group of police officers had taken a
group of under-privilege children on a shopping spree to a Wal-Mart store but it was not covered
in the media. Not saying that they were doing that good deed to receive recognition but if it had
been a shooting or robbery, there probably would have been coverage.
Suggestion was made that more police presence should be at stores where groups of usually
black males hang out. Need affordable recreation facilities, such as boys and girls clubs in
communities where parents cannot afford to enroll their children in facilities that charge fees that
they are unable to pay. However, it was stated that Park & Planning do have money as well as
resources for children.
What kind of training do Police Officers receive to handle certain situations that the public look
on as them profiling Black youth?
Police Officers are human beings just like the next person and one do not know what is going on
in their minds when they are faced with certain situations.
Appearance means a lot. A lot of the young Black males do not have any self respect, yet
instead they want to be respected especially by law enforcements agents.
It was stated that Complaining does not solve the situation but individuals should get involved to
help the situation.
The Office next door program was mentioned. Vacant homes are sold to police officers at a
reduced price so they can incorporate their presence in a community. With their presence, one
may stop and think before they commit a crime.
Voting is still an issue. Some people in communities will not go out to cast their vote but will be
the first ones to complain about issues that a candidate or candidates may not handle to their
lacking.

3. Years ago, the village helped to raise children but in today’s world most people are afraid to
correct some children because of the repercussion they may receive from the child’s parents.
Closing remarks on respect – it was stated that some officers may be to blame and some may not
be for the way a situation may be handled with a Black male. It was also stated that the Police
Department have their high as well as low points during certain times. High – September 11,
2001 catastrophic. Low – Murdering of black youth.
It was clearly stated that conversations with each other should continue.
Marva L. Long
Note Taker for MLK Town Hall Meeting
The Following Notes were taken from the
Moderator – LaTaunya Howard
Problems contributing to strained relations between law enforcement and the community:
1. Lack of respect - citizens' respect for law enforcement; law enforcement's respect for
citizens; self-respect)
2. Media effect - negative stories are sensationalized with limited fact-checking; positive
storied are not emphasized
3. Negative association with law enforcement - many people only interact with law
enforcement when there is a problem
4. Lack of activities for youth in the community - youth need a constructive outlet to
release energy and to deter them from engaging in illegal activity
5. Budgetary constraints
Possible solutions to improve relations between law enforcement and the community:
1. Family involvement - the level of respect that people show towards others begins and
ends at home
2. Community policing - this will help to build relationships and positive rapport between
law enforcement and the community
3. Partnerships between faith-based organizations, governmental entities and business
- collaborative efforts and sharing of resources will help to improve the likelihood of
achieving desired outcomes
4. Civic engagement - including lobbying legislators in support of having funds directed to
communities for youth activities
5. Critical review of media stories - media outlets do not depict the entirety of an issue, so
citizens need to fact-check before reacting to what they see or hear in the media

4. Comments – Deborah Speight, This is the first town hall meeting, we are planning to have at
least three more this year early spring, late summer and late fall. I concur with everything that
was said and done. The community of Chapel Oaks, Maryland wants to be involved and we are
asking that the Commissioner Chief Ramsey contact the Fairmount Heights Police Department in
Maryland.