FROM WLWT. THIS IS LET'S TALK CINCY. PRESENTED BY WESTERN AND SOUTHERN FINANCIAL GROUP. PUT OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH BEHIND YOU. HELLO, EVERYONE. I'M COURTIS FULLER, AND WELCOME TO LET'S TALK CINCY. TODAY, A SPECIAL CONVERSATION WITH STUART ISAACS. HE IS A POLICE SERGEANT AND HE IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENTINELS. AND FIRST OF ALL, WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM. THANKS FOR HAVING ME COURTIS REALLY APPRECIATE IT. YEAH, LET'S LET'S TELL PEOPLE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE SENTINELS. IT IS NOW ALMOST 60 YEARS OLD IN EXISTENCE. YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT THAT. I GUESS IT IS. IT WAS STARTED IN 1968 BY MEN AND WOMEN WHO WERE TRYING TO ADDRESS SOME OF THE DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICES AT THE TIME, BECAUSE WE'RE TALKING THE LATE 60S. SO THE AMERICA AS A WHOLE WAS KIND OF TURBULENT. SO IT WAS NO LESS WE HAD ISSUES ON THE DEPARTMENT, AND THEY CAME TOGETHER TO TRY TO REDRESS THOSE ISSUES OF REPRESENTATION, FAIRNESS, HIRING AND PROMOTIONS AND DISCIPLINE. AND THAT WAS HOW THE SENTINELS WERE FORMED. YEAH, THIS COMES OUT OF A TIME WHEN SOME OF US ARE OLD ENOUGH TO REMEMBER THE LATE 60S. WE'RE DEALING WITH, YOU KNOW, RIOTS IN THE STREETS AFTER THE KING ASSASSINATION, THOSE TYPE OF THINGS, ISSUES TAKING PLACE IN COMMUNITIES AND AFRICAN AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS WANTED TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES, BOTH IN THE STREETS AND ALSO IN THE DEPARTMENT. VERY TRUE. WE WERE THERE, A SMALL NUMBER, BUT WE WEREN'T. OF COURSE. OUR VOICES WEREN'T BEING HEARD. WE WEREN'T REALLY WE WEREN'T WELCOMED AT THE FOP. WE WEREN'T REALLY WELCOME IN THE IN THE DEPARTMENT. MINIMUM, MINIMUM. MARGINALIZED, ACTUALLY. AND SO THEY FORMED THE SENTINELS TO SAY, HEY, OKAY, WELL, IF YOU WON'T LET US IN, THEN WE'LL DO OUR OWN. SO THE MEN AND WOMEN, YOU KNOW, THEY SACRIFICED AND PUT THE MONEY TOGETHER AND THEY FORMED IT. AND THEY. TO MAKE SURE THAT THE COMMUNITY HAD A VOICE. AND WE AS A DEPARTMENT ACTED AS A BRIDGE FOR COMMUNICATION TO MAKE SURE THE VOICES ARE BEING HEARD. AND THAT WAY, WHEN THE POLICIES THAT WE ARE MAKING AND HOW WE ARE. ACTING AS LAW ENFORCEMENT MEN AND WOMEN THAT WE TAKE INTO ACCOUNT SOME OF SOME OF THEIR ISSUES, THEIR THEIR PLIGHTS, AS WELL AS SOME OF THE TRAUMA THAT WE HAVE. THEY HAVE FACED AND SOMETIMES AT THE HANDS OF POLICE OFFICERS. YEAH. AND WE SHOULD POINT OUT THAT. THAT THE SENTINELS IS NOT THE EQUIVALENT OF THE FOP. YOU ARE. YOU WORK WITHIN THE FOP. THE FOP IS THE UNION REPRESENTING. POLICE OFFICERS, ALL POLICE OFFICERS. IS THAT CORRECT? THAT'S TRUE. YEAH. THE FOP, THEY ARE THE ENTITY THAT HANDLES ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS BECAUSE WE'RE PART OF THE UNION. EVERYONE, THAT IS, MOST PEOPLE, MAJORITY OF POLICE OFFICERS, MEN AND WOMEN ARE FOP MEMBERS BECAUSE THEY ARE THEY HANDLE OUR CONTRACT. BUT NOT EVERYONE WHO IS FOP IS A MEMBER OF THE SENTINELS. THAT'S A VOLUNTEER. SO PEOPLE ARE MAKING MAKING A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO BECOME A SENTINEL. AND WE ARE PREDOMINANTLY AFRICAN AMERICAN, BUT WE'RE NOT EXCLUSIVELY AFRICAN AMERICAN. IT'S REALLY OPEN TO ANYONE. IF WE FOCUS ON BEING THAT CONNECTIVE BRIDGE TO THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE THAT ARE MARGINALIZED AND NOT AS WELL REPRESENTED ON THE DEPARTMENT, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE LAWS THAT WE WORK UNDER, AND MAKING SURE THAT WHEN WE ARE ADMINISTERING LAWS OR WORKING, ENGAGING WITH PEOPLE, THAT WE HAVE A, A MORE OF A VIEW OF LOOKING AT ALL THE DIFFERENT LENSES OF PEOPLE. YEAH, REGARDLESS OF WHERE YOU ARE. SO WE WE TRY TO BE MORE ASTUTE AND PERCEPTIVE. NOT SAYING THAT YOU CAN'T BE, BUT WE DEFINITELY WANT TO MAKE SURE AND ALSO TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE CARE OF THAT COMMUNITY OF OFFICERS WHO HISTORICALLY HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED. I WANT TO SAY THAT THE CITY HAS GONE THROUGH A GREAT TRANSITION SINCE THE UPHEAVALS OF THE 1960S, AS FAR AS MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE REPRESENTATION AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS OF THE DEPARTMENT AS FAR AS PROMOTION, BUT WE ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ALSO LOOK AT. DISCIPLINE, PROMOTION, PROMOTION, HIRING PRACTICES AND ASSIGNMENT, BECAUSE WE BELIEVE, AND WE KNOW IT TO BE TRUE, THAT WHEN YOU HAVE A PERSPECTIVE AND VIEW FROM ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE OF THE COMMUNITY, THEN YOU LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY. I'LL NEVER KNOW WHAT IT IS TO BE, SAY, A MOM, YOU KNOW? BUT YOU HAVE TO TAKE THAT INTO CONSIDERATION. LIKE WHEN WE MAKE CHANGES IN THE LAW TO ALLOW FOR BREASTFEEDING OUT IN PUBLIC. THAT DIDN'T USE TO BE A THING. YOU COULD BE ARRESTED FOR SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THAT, SUCH A NATURAL ACT. SO IS THIS THE SAME THING? WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR PERSPECTIVES, OUR VIEWS, ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND TO INFLUENCE. MAKE SURE THOSE POLICIES AND HOW WE ADMINISTER THE LAW, TAKE IN THOSE VARIOUS CULTURAL NUANCES IN DIFFERENT FLAVORS, AS WE CALL IT, IN THIS MELTING POT. YEAH, I'M GOING TO TAKE A BREAK. A LOT TO TALK ABOUT. I'M GOING TO WANT TO GET YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT'S TAKING PLACE OUT IN LA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AND THESE DEMONSTRATIONS AND THINGS OF THAT NATURE. THE SUMMER IS HERE, AND I KNOW THERE'S SOME PROGRAMS STARTING UP TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ADDRESS WHAT'S HAPPENING TO YOUNG FOLKS ON THE STREETS, BUT SO MANY OTHER THINGS. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. WELCOME BACK, EVERYONE. I'M HERE WITH POLICE SERGEANT STEWART ISAACS. HE IS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENTINELS. AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING TODAY. BUT BUT, YOU KNOW, I WAS THINKING, AS I'VE BEEN WATCHING WHAT'S GOING ON OUT IN LOS ANGELES AND WE'VE SEEN SOME DEMONSTRATIONS, PROTESTERS IN OTHER PARTS. I KNOW CHICAGO, NEW YORK TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. I MEAN, THE CONCERNS AS A POLICE OFFICER, WHEN YOU'RE OUT THERE, YOU'RE TRYING TO PROTECT INDIVIDUALS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, BUT ALSO PROTECT SAFETY. YOU DEALT WITH THAT SITUATION BACK IN THE 2020 PROTESTS HERE IN CINCINNATI. AND WHAT WE SAW AROUND THE COUNTRY. YES. FIRST, LET ME SAY THAT HOW WE DO IN CINCINNATI IS PROBABLY DIFFERENT, AND I CAN ONLY SPEAK TO THE PERSPECTIVE THAT WE KNOW IN CINCINNATI. THE COMMAND STAFF, THE CHIEF, THEY DO A FINE JOB AS FAR AS WORKING WITH WITH PROTESTERS. AS YOU KNOW, THERE'S A CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT, FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND WE DEFINITELY WE SUPPORT THAT. WE ACTUALLY TRY TO ENGAGE AND SPEAK WITH PROTESTERS. AND AS FAR AS OKAY, TO UNDERSTAND THE RULES AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE ABIDING BY THE LAW AND YET EXPRESSING THEMSELVES AS WELL. AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE BIGGEST THING. NOW, SOME PROTESTS, PROTESTERS, THEY ARE GROUPS THAT ARE, WE WOULD CALL ANARCHISTS THAT COME IN AND TRY TO CHANGE WHAT PEACEFUL, PEACEFUL PROTESTERS AND TRY TO HAVE AN ELEMENT OF VIOLENCE WHERE THEY MIGHT OR DESTRUCTION. AND WE SAW THAT. WE SAW THAT IN 2020 BECAUSE DURING THE DAY, THE PROTESTS WERE PEACEFUL, VERY CALM. I THINK EVERYONE AGREED TO THAT AS SOON AS THE. THE LIGHTS WENT OUT, IF YOU WILL. AS SOON AS IT BECAME DARK, WE SAW A DIFFERENT ELEMENT IN THE STREET AND IT WAS REALLY FRUSTRATING FOR MANY OF US COVERING IT, BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE WRONG PERCEPTION. YES, THAT'S WHAT WE WERE SEEING AT THE TIME. BUT WE I REMEMBER CLEARLY BEING OUT THERE REPORTING ON IT. I ALSO WANTED TO CONVEY THAT MANY HOURS PRIOR TO THAT, IT WAS VERY PEACEFUL, VERY CALM, NO PROBLEMS. AND THAT'S ALWAYS THE CASE. YOU KNOW, AS POLICE OFFICERS, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE PROTECT. SO WE'RE DOING WE'RE WE'RE PROTECTING THE PROPERTY, PROPERTY OWNERS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THE PROTESTING. WE ARE THERE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PROTESTERS ARE ENGAGING IN THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS TO PROTEST AND TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES, MAKING SURE THEY'RE KEPT SAFE. AND THERE'S NUANCES TRYING TO SEE, OKAY, WELL, WHO IN THIS GROUP IS NOT A PART OF THE GROUP? AND THEY'RE JUST THERE TO CAUSE DESTRUCTION AND MAYHEM AND AND AGITATE. AND I SHOULDN'T SAY AGITATE, BUT THERE ARE SOME THERE ARE SOME GROUPS THAT ARE THERE SPECIFICALLY TO TRY TO TAKE A PEACEFUL PROTEST AND TURN IT INTO VIOLENCE, THEREBY CAUSING US TO REACT IN A WAY THAT WILL. OKAY, WELL, PROTEST IS OVER, AND NOW WE'VE GOT TO DISMISS THE CROWD. AND OF COURSE, IT RAMPS IT UP VERSUS ENGAGING IN CONVERSATION. YEAH, AND IT'S REAL EASY TO TURN. IT'S REAL EASY. AND I WAS AT A CONFERENCE THIS LAST WEEK AS FAR AS TALKED ABOUT HOW TO WORK WITH PROTESTERS. AND I THINK WE IN THE DEPARTMENT DO A REALLY GOOD JOB AS FAR AS ENGAGING WITH WITH DIFFERENT GROUPS WHO COME IN, THEY WANT TO TO MARCH. THEY'RE USUALLY THEY'RE STAGED AND WE HAVE WE'LL HAVE PEOPLE ON THE BIKE UNIT AS WELL AS OTHER ELEMENTS TO MAKE SURE TO ENSURE THAT PROCESSES ARE KEPT SAFE, TO MAKE SURE THOSE WHO ARE NOT ENGAGED IN THE PROTEST, THEY'RE KEPT SAFE, AS WELL AS PROPERTY OWNERS. SO IT'S A IT'S A BALANCING ACT. BUT WE YOU KNOW, WE ARE THERE TO ENSURE EVERYONE'S RIGHTS, BUT ALSO THE RIGHTS OF PEOPLE. JUST EVERYDAY PEOPLE JUST KIND OF LIKE, OKAY. YEAH, YEAH. AND I WOULD IMAGINE SOME OF THAT SAME THINKING GOES INTO HOW YOU HANDLE CROWDS. HERE WE ARE IN THE SUMMER, A LOT OF OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES AND A LOT OF PEOPLE GATHERING. I KNOW SOME THINGS HAVE GONE INTO PLACE DOWN AT THE BANKS AND OVER THE RHINE, JUST TO NAME A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS. I WANT TO TAKE ANOTHER BREAK AND WE'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT WHEN WE COME BACK ABOUT HOW. YOU INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC DURING THESE LARGE EVENTS TO MAKE SURE YOU KEEP THE HEAT DOWN. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. WE'LL BE BACK IN A MOMENT. WELCOME BACK. WELCOME BACK. I'M TALKING TO POLICE SERGEANT STUART ISAACS. YOU'VE BEEN ON THE FORCE. HOW LONG NOW? ALMOST 23 YEARS. I'M 23 YEARS. BUT JUST ABOUT. THEY KNOW EXACTLY DOWN THERE AT THE DEPARTMENT. BUT 23 YEARS. WHAT MADE YOU SAY? I WANT TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER? I LIKE HELPING PEOPLE AND I SAW SOME OF THE INTERACTIONS FROM THE 2001, AND I THOUGHT, WELL, I CAN DO THAT JOB. I CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT. THAT'S WHAT I WAS THINKING AT THE TIME, NOT KNOWING ALL THE NUANCES AND HOW MUCH THE HARD WORK AND EFFORT AND SACRIFICES IT TAKES TO BECOME A POLICE OFFICER. IT'S A VERY NOBLE PROFESSION, AND I'VE, YOU KNOW, I STAND ON THE SHOULDERS OF A LOT OF PEOPLE. OH, YEAH, BE IN THIS JOB. AND, YOU KNOW, WE ALL WE REALIZE WE ALL KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, MY INTERACTION WITH SOMEONE MIGHT BE BASED UPON THE THE PREVIOUS INTERACTION. SO I WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR THE NEXT PERSON. SO WHEN I ENGAGE WITH SOMEONE AND WE ALL DO TRY TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR INTERACTION WAS ONE THAT WE HOPEFULLY SOLVED A PROBLEM. AND SO THE NEXT TIME, IF THERE'S A NEXT TIME THAT YOU ENGAGE WITH THE POLICE, THAT IT'S A PLEASANT ONE, BASED UPON WHAT I DO WITH YOU AT THAT MOMENT, THIS IS A TOUGH JOB. I, I DON'T ENVY YOU AT ALL. LET ME ADDRESS ONE ISSUE. A LAWSUIT WAS FILED BY FOUR OFFICERS ALLEGING THAT DISCRIMINATION FOUR WHITE POLICE OFFICERS, MALE, ALLEGING THERE HAD BEEN PROMOTIONS AND PERKS GIVEN TO WOMEN AND OTHER MINORITIES. I KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE LAWSUIT, BUT I. I KNOW IT DID RAISE SOME CONCERNS. AND YOU SPOKEN OUT ABOUT THIS IN TERMS OF WHAT THAT DOES TO ALL OF THE RELATION BUILDING THAT HAS ALREADY OCCURRED, TO THE EXTENT THAT YOU CAN ADDRESS IT. HOW HAS THE SENTINELS RESPONDED TO THAT? WELL, WE DEFINITELY RESPONDED AS FAR AS QUESTIONS WERE ASKED AND WE ANSWERED IT. WE'RE NOT LITIGANTS IN THIS PARTICULAR SUIT. WE DON'T HAVE A WE I WON'T SAY THAT WE WE'RE WATCHING IT WITH INTEREST TO SEE WHAT THE RESULTS ARE. WE KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE. WE KNOW THAT WOMEN ON THE DEPARTMENT MAKE UP A VERY SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE OVERALL POPULATION, POPULACE OF OF OFFICERS, AND THAT THOSE NUMBERS SHRINK AS THEY GO HIGHER UP AS FAR AS SUPERVISOR, BE A SERGEANT, LIEUTENANT AND CAPTAIN, WE KNOW RIGHT NOW THERE'S ONE FEMALE CAPTAIN, TWO FEMALE CAPTAINS, AND THEN THE NUMBERS EVEN GET SMALLER AS IT RELATES TO WOMEN WHO ARE MARGINALIZED OR AFRICAN-AMERICAN FEMALES. AND I KNOW OVER, OVER THE COURSE OF TIME, I'VE TALKED TO THE CHIEF. SHE'S MADE IT CLEAR THAT THAT HAS BEEN AN INTENTIONAL PUSH TO INCREASE THOSE NUMBERS. I BELIEVE THE GOAL IS BY 2029, TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE IS IMPROVEMENT IN THOSE NUMBERS SPEAK. LET ME JUST BECAUSE I THE LAWSUIT TALKED ABOUT WOMEN AND MINORITIES WHO ARE PROMOTED OVER OFFICERS, DESPITE BEING LOWER ON THE PROMOTIONS LIST. THESE NUMBERS ARE INTERESTING, INTERESTING. FEMALE LIEUTENANTS, 89% WERE GIVEN PREFERRED ASSIGNMENTS. 79% OF MINORITY LIEUTENANTS ALSO GOT PREFERRED ASSIGNMENTS. BUT BUT WHAT'S KEY IS ONLY 44% OF WHITE MALE LIEUTENANTS WERE GIVEN PREFERRED ASSIGNMENTS. THAT'S WHAT'S ALLEGED IN THE SUIT. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT 65% OF LIEUTENANTS IN CPD ARE WHITE MALES, WHILE JUST 35% ARE WOMEN OR PEOPLE OF COLOR. THOSE NUMBERS REALLY POINT TO. WHAT IS TAKING PLACE IN THE. DEPARTMENT? DID THIS LAWSUIT COME AS A SURPRISE AT ALL? FIRST WE SAY YES. OKAY, THEN LET ME STEP BACK AND SAY, I KNOW CHIEF CAN SPEAK ON HER BEHALF, SO I'M NOT GOING TO SPEAK. SPEAK ON HER PROGRAM. HER PROGRAMS ARE VERY GOOD THAT SHE INITIATES FOR FOR THE FOR THE DEPARTMENT AS A WHOLE. SO AS I SAY, I'M GOING TO CARRY ON WATER. SHE SPEAKS VERY ELOQUENTLY. SO I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO THE NUMBERS BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT THOSE NUMBERS ARE BASED UPON. OKAY. BUT I KNOW. FACTUALLY THAT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE JUST ABOUT EVERY RANK. SO IT'S INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THOSE PERCENTAGES WERE, WERE THAT DATA WAS GATHERED. MOST CAPTAINS, IF NOT ALL CAPTAINS, IN MY HUMBLE OPINION, ARE PREFERRED RANK. BECAUSE YOU'RE A CAPTAIN, YOU'RE JUST AT THE PRECIPICE. MOST SOME PEOPLE, SOME CAPTAINS HAVE WHOLE DISTRICTS, OR THEY'RE IN CHARGE OF WHOLE BUREAUS. SO I DON'T KNOW HOW BEING A CAPTAIN IS NOT A PREFERRED ASSIGNMENT. YOU'RE GOING TO TAKE HOME CAR. I'M JUST A LOWLY SERGEANT. AND MY HUMBLE OPINION AS IT RELATES TO LIEUTENANTS, THE PROCESS. TYPICALLY YOU ARE ASSIGNED TO A POSITION AT THE BY THE CHIEF. CHIEF MAKES THE FINAL DECISION ON WHO IS ASSIGNED AND WHAT. SO IT'S NOT YOU CAN VOICE A DESIRE, BUT ULTIMATELY THE CHIEF MAKES ALL DECISIONS AS FAR AS HIRING PRACTICES AND WHERE SHE PLACES PEOPLE. AS FAR AS ASSIGNMENT. YEAH. YEAH. SO IT'S A TOTALLY DIFFERENT PROCESS WHEN YOU GET TO THAT AT THAT LEVEL. SO YEAH, IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE AGAIN, SO MUCH WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO. TO TO BE MORE INCLUSIVE. AND AGAIN, WHEN YOU START TO THINK BACK, WHY THE SENTINEL ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED TO BEGIN WITH WAS TO TO CREATE SOME, SOME INCLUSION IN THE DEPARTMENT. AND SO HERE WE COME, FULL CIRCLE TO, TO HEAR. THIS TYPE OF LAWSUIT BEING FILED AGAIN, IT'LL PLAY OUT IN THE COURTS, IT'LL PLAY OUT, IT WILL PLAY AND WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IT'LL BE INTERESTING TO SEE. YEAH. ABSOLUTELY. OKAY. WE'LL TAKE A FINAL BREAK AND COME COME RIGHT BACK BACK IN A MOMENT. ALWAYS INTERESTING TO HAVE A ALWAYS INTERESTING TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH A POLICE OFFICER. THIS WAY. I HAVE TWO. I'D RATHER HAVE A CONVERSATION. WE CAN JUST, YOU KNOW. HEY, YOU SAID YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING TO OUR DISCUSSION IN THE LAST SEGMENT. THAT'S PRETTY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CAPTAINS, THERE'S A TESTING PROCESS FOR THAT, RIGHT? IT IS. IT'S A VERY ELABORATE TESTING PROCESS FOR THE CAPTAIN. SO THEY ALL WORK HARD TO GET THE RANK OF CAPTAIN. SO I WANT TO BE DISMISSIVE OF THOSE WHO ATTAIN THAT RANK. YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, IT'S NOT IT. THEY DEFINITELY HAVE PERKS BEING CAPTAIN, BUT IT IS A GRUELING PROCESS FOR THEM. AND I CONGRATULATE ALL THE ONES THAT CAPTAIN. THEY DO A VERY DIFFICULT JOB. SO MAKE SURE WE GET THAT OUT. IT'S NOT JUST SOME YOU DON'T RAISE YOUR HAND AND SAY, I WANT TO BECOME A CAPTAIN. IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY, RIGHT? OH NO, OH, NO. ABSOLUTELY. HEY, WE'RE IN THE SUMMER. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT KEEPING FOLKS SAFE, ESPECIALLY YOUNG PEOPLE, KEEPING THEM INVOLVED IN THINGS AWAY FROM THE STREET. ENCOURAGED BY WHAT YOU'RE SEEING. AND THIS IS THE COMMUNITY NOW, THIS IS COMMUNITY SAYING, WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THIS PROGRAM TO KEEP YOUNG PEOPLE ENGAGED IN SOMETHING ELSE. ENCOURAGED BY THAT, VERY ENCOURAGED. YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN ON FOR CLOSE TO 23 YEARS, AND I KNOW THAT THE CITY MANAGER, THE CHIEF AND THE MAYOR REALLY GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO MAKE SURE THEIR PROGRAMING FOR YOUTH AND PART OF THEIR OVERALL SUMMER SAFETY PROGRAM. AND YOU'VE GOT RECOGNIZE WHICH ABILITY FOR KIDS TO GO TO EITHER LINCOLN LINCOLN CENTER OR HIRSCH TO INTERACT WITH ACTIVITIES, FOOD, SWIMMING, GAMES. YOU'VE GOT THAT SOUNDS LIKE FUN. YEAH, THAT'S THAT'S THAT'S AND THAT'S ON A SATURDAY NIGHT. THEN YOU'VE GOT THE SKATING, THE SKATING TEAM SKATE DOWN TO SAWYER POINT. YEAH, THAT'S ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. AND THE WHOLE HOST OF ACTIVITIES GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GIVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO ENGAGE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND JUST TO BE A KID OR A TEENAGER AND TO HAVE FUN AND INTERACT. I MEAN, FREE FOOD. I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT DANCING OR WHATEVER, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO, THERE'S THERE'S SOMETHING FOR YOU TO DO. SO, YOU KNOW, MY HAT'S OFF TO CRC. THE CITY MANAGER, TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS VERY FOCUSED. ON IN HAVING OPPORTUNITIES FOR KIDS TO BE IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT AND WILL BE THERE AS WELL, TO MAKE SURE WE'RE INTERACTING WITH KIDS, WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT'S EASY FOR US, FOR TEENAGERS TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE RHETORIC. ALL THE POLICE OR THIS POLICE ARE BAD AND ALL THE OTHER NAMES THAT I'M NOT GOING TO SEE ON A PUBLIC AREA. BUT, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE BUT WE WANT THE KIDS, TEENAGERS AND ADULTS TO SEE US. WE'RE HUMAN BEINGS. DO WE HAVE FAMILIES AND KIDS AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE APPROACHABLE AND WE CAN TALK AND WE WANT TO TALK WITH YOU AND ASK AND ASK THOSE QUESTIONS. WE'RE GOING TO ASK YOU QUESTIONS. I MEAN, THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT BRING US TOGETHER, REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE LOOK LIKE ON THE OUTSIDE, WE ALL WANT THE SAME THINGS. AND SAFE ENVIRONMENT, SAFE COMMUNITY WHERE EVERYONE CAN THRIVE AND LIVE THEIR BEST LIFE. SO, YOU KNOW, HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH POLICE OFFICER. WE'RE NOT GOING TO BITE YOU. YEAH, YEAH, YEAH. AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE THAT THE ONLY TIME, NOT THE ONLY TIME, BUT MANY TIMES A PERSON INTERACTS WITH A POLICE OFFICER AND AND, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S A TRAFFIC STOP OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. I WISH THERE WERE THESE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE, WHERE PEOPLE COULD, COULD CHAT WITH YOU, JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING, TO GET JUST A BETTER PERSPECTIVE. NOW, WHEN YOU PUT ON YOUR UNIFORM AGAIN, YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT'S AN INTIMIDATING THING. IF YOU, YOU KNOW, IF BUT AT THE SAME TIME, AS YOU SAID, YOU HAVE A FAMILY, YOU JUST WANT TO RESOLVE WHATEVER THE ISSUE MIGHT BE. YEAH. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S OPPORTUNITIES. I MEAN, WE HAVE CAMPS GOING ON CITY CAMP BY OUR STUDENT RESOURCE OFFICERS WHO WORK OUT WITH THE KIDS. I KNOW I'VE ATTENDED A COUPLE OF CHOP IT UP SESSIONS, AT LEAST ONE IN AVONDALE THAT GOES THE FIRST TUESDAY EVERY MONTH. AND THEY'RE JUST REGULAR JEANS HAVING A CONVERSATION. AND AND A SITTING PRESIDENT. WE INVITE WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO COME OUT AND TALK TO THE POLICE, ASK YOUR QUESTIONS. YOU KNOW, WANT TO KNOW HOW WE INTERFACE WITH THE LAW? THE MORE WE CAN EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT WHAT THE LAW IS AND WHAT THEIR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE, THEN THE MORE, THE EASIER THE INTERACTION IS WITH US TO ENGAGE WITH US. WE WANT TO BE. WE ARE PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND WE NEED COMMUNITY TO DO THE JOB THAT WE DO. SO I INVITE PEOPLE TO COME TO OUR WEBSITE OR TALK TO A POLICE OFFICER OR WHATEVER THE CASE IS. I MEAN, TALK WITH US. AND LIKE I SAID, WE LIVE HERE. WE'RE AN IMPORTANT FABRIC AND WE WE ARE HERE TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY, AND WE NEED THE COMMUNITY FOR ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO. WE CAN'T DO OUR JOB WITHOUT COMMUNITY. WE JUST CAN'T. WELL, WELL, THANK YOU BECAUSE IT IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO JUST SEE YOU WITHOUT THE UNIFORM. THEY SEE YOU AROUND TOWN. YOU'RE I SEE YOU AROUND TOWN. YOU NEVER STOPPED ME FOR ANYTHING. BUT I SEE YOUR. WELL, MAYBE NEXT TIME WE'LL HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE. YOU GOT TO DO. YOU GOT TO DO IT. YOU'RE WELCOME BACK ANYTIME. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. REALLY APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. THAT DOES IT FOR THIS EDITION OF LET'S TALK CINCY. I'M COURTIS FULLER. I'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME FOR ANOTHER EDITION. UNTIL THEN, HAVE A GOOD DAY AND A BETTER DAY TOMORROW.