Philly police, young people convene

Police officials met with a group of Philadelphia young people Wednesday evening to discuss their differences and work toward mutual goals. 

They met at City Hall to discuss a report indicating police have to do more to interact with the people they protect and serve to build up the confidence of the community. 

Young people want officers to show they are more than a badge and a gun, said Lance Carter.”If the police can start to create and foster more, friendlier interactions with the community, I think it can counteract a lot of the bad interactions,” he said.Deputy Polcie Commissioner Kevin Bethel said police will take the advice of the young people to heart as they move forward and work with them.”So if we can get these young people energized, as they are, and take that out into the field, we can do a lot of great work across the city,” Bethel said.

Bethel said he was impressed by the young men and women.

“They want more positive contact with police, they want us more on the ground with them,” he said. “They want to see us in positive ways, they want to have better positive experiences, and those are the things that have been going on from the adult side. So it’s exciting to hear that the juveniles want that contact, more importantly they are asking for it.”

One goal is expanding police outreach in the community, Bethel said.