Community policing panel discussion set for Monday night

A national conversation on policing and race relations comes to Colorado Springs Monday night.

The public’s invited to hear from El Paso County leaders who will take part in a panel discussion about policing in various communities.

Frustration and anger over racial divisions and injustice took over the streets of our nation and spilled onto Southern Colorado sidewalks after controversial grand jury decisions in Ferguson and New York City.

“What we need as a community is a forum to talk about the controversial issues, but with the people who actually have the facts and the knowledge of procedure and policy,” Dr. Tiko Hardy, a psychologist and the panel moderator said.

Panel members include El Paso County Sheriff-elect Bill Elder, Colorado Springs Police Chief Pete Carey, Fountain’s Chief of Police Todd Evans and Henry Allen, the president of the Colorado Springs NAACP.

“Most people don’t know who their chief of police is, most people don’t have a physical reference to the sheriff, and so it’s a great meet and greet opportunity,” Hardy said. “I think it’s a lot harder to dislike people when you know who they are.”

El Paso County Commissioner Peggy Littleton calls this discussion a great opportunity for an open dialogue between citizens and the cops to ensure what took place in Ferguson doesn’t happen here.

“This is a really proactive conversation to have,” Littleton said. “It shows we are not going to dismiss nor are we fearful of any type of a situation that could arise because we really expect it not to here. We’re open, we’re equitable. It’s a community that plays well together.”

The panel consists of 12 members. The conversation begins at 6 p.m. Monday evening inside Centennial Hall.