The Best Way to Understand It Is to Experience It

Investigatory Stops

Tags Justice for All Racial Equity Police Reform

In a four part series Josh Walehwa, who’s brother is a police officer, shares his experiences with law enforcement and vision for the future of St. Louis. Check back as additional parts of his story are released.

Part 1

The Best Way to Understand It Is to Experience It – Investigatory Stops

“We want the same thing. I want you to get the bad guys… at the same time, I don’t want to be pulled over 10 times so you can get to that 11th person.” Joshua W. shares an experience and his thoughts on being pulled over in investigatory traffic stops.

Credits:Nathan Lucy (Director), Nicole Hudson (Producer), David Leon Gill (Production Sound), David Dwight (Camera Operator), Joshua Dobkins (Additional Cinematography)

What the Report Says on These Topics

Restoring Relations Through Community Policing

The expert testimony, research, scholarship, and lived experience collected by the Commission revealed the following:According to the U.S. Department of Justice, community policing is defined as “a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety…

Promoting Officer Wellness

The expert testimony, research, scholarship, and lived experience collected by the Commission revealed the following:A study of an urban police department suggests that a police officer’s work environment, which includes exposure to potentially traumatic experiences, coupled with a police environment that values stoicism and self-reliance, can prove detrimental to an officer’s mental health (Fox,…

Improving Officer Training

The expert testimony, research, scholarship, and lived experience collected by the Commission revealed the following:In St. Louis City and the County, 75 percent of the police departments are unaccredited (Better Together, 2015). The State of Missouri does not require police departments to be accredited, perhaps explaining why in St. Louis City and County only…

Authorizing Appropriate Use of Force

The expert testimony, research, scholarship, and lived experience collected by the Commission revealed the following:Following investigation of the Ferguson Police Department, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a report on March 4, 2015, which noted that Ferguson’s police sometimes violate citizens’ Fourth Amendment rights through the use of excessive force (DOJ, 2015). The…

Preston and Sharon

Our youth present our greatest opportunity to impact positive and lasting change. Addressing our endeavors to the whole child through education, health, encouragement, support, and opportunities will fundamentally change their lives now and their futures forever.

Tags Justice for All Youth at the Center Racial Equity Education Reforming School-Based Discipline

Dawn

Achieving justice for all requires a commitment to begin an honest review of how consolidation of police departments and municipal courts could commence. Building relationships based upon mutual respect and trust, being transparent about challenging and destructive behaviors and embracing fair and reasonable laws and policies will lay the foundation for unbiased, responsive government.

Tags Consolidation Justice for All Court Reform

Combating Racism with Empathy

The Commission’s charge was to address the underlying root causes that led to the unrest in the wake of Michael Brown Jr’s death. Race is inherent in every root cause. Eliminating existing disparities for racial and ethnic populations is a fundamental goal of the calls in this report.

Tags Youth Opportunity to Thrive Racial Equity

The Best Way to Understand It Is to Experience It

Investigatory Stops

Part 1

The Best Way to Understand It Is to Experience It – Investigatory Stops

What the Report Says on These Topics

Restoring Relations Through Community Policing

Promoting Officer Wellness

Improving Officer Training

Authorizing Appropriate Use of Force

Related Stories

Preston and Sharon

Dawn

Combating Racism with Empathy