The citizens of Hopkinsville in Ward One got a chance to speak with their council-member and the Hopkinsville Police Chief during a Town Hall held Thursday evening.
It was an open discussion between citizens and Councilmember Vance Smith and Police Chief Jason Newby, particularly about law enforcement and public safety within Ward One and through the city limits. Many folks brought their concerns about racial profiling by officers, what’s being done to provide adequate bias and sensitivity training in the department and what’s been doing actively on the streets to promote safety.
Chief Newby reminded them that officers are human too—he says they’re just as likely to have a bad day as any other profession, maybe even more so, and that can lead to interactions that may seem cold.
Several citizens gave examples of what they believed to be incidents of racial profiling, and Chief Newby encouraged them, or anyone that has experienced it, to contact his office with specific examples, so they can investigate and address it appropriately.
He says he’s not ignorant—he knows there are bad cops out there, and he’s working to make sure they aren’t in the Hopkinsville Police Department.
On the subject of mental health in the community, Chief Newby says HPD’s officer receive training on how to identify a person in the midst of a mental health crisis and how to respond correctly. He says they are also partnered with the Pennyroyal Center to do what they can for those individuals to get the help they need.
You can watch the town hall in full on the City of Hopkinsville Local Government Facebook page.