Transcripts For CSPAN Acting 20240703

Created to build stronger relationship between police and communities. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming this morning and welcome to the National Law Enforcers Memorial and museum. We are thrilled to you this morning. Please stand with me for the presentation of the metropolitan Police Departments honor guard. O say can you see by the dawns early light, what so proudly we hailed at the twilights last gleaming. Whose broad stripes and bright stars. Through the perilous fight oer the ramparts we watched. Were so gallantly streaming. And the rockets red glare. The bombs bursting in air. Gave proof through the night. That our flag was still there. O say does that star spangled banner yet wave. Oer the land of the free and the home of the brave [applause] thank you, ladies and gentlemen, please be seated and now i would like you all to help me welcome, from the metropolitan Police Departments chaplain corps, sherry west, who will lead us in an opening prayer. Pastor west . Good morning. Good morning. Leapt us bow our heads and pray. Heavenly father, as we gather here today for this faith Blue National kickoff event, we thank you for every faith leader and Law Enforcement professional and agency both here and across the country who have made the commitment of doing the necessary and hard work of coming together, building bridges and linking arms for the betterment of stills and towns you have called each of us to serve. We know that faith and service when joined together, strengthen our community and our forces for positive change so as we come together today, lord, we recognize the tremendous task before us and we know that without you we can do nothing. So we asked for your hand to be on us, for our strength to be in us and for your love to flow through us and we ask all of these things in your name, amen. Thank you, pastor west. And now well continue with officer brittany with the musical selection Amazing Grace Amazing Grace grace. How sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost. But now im found. Was blind but now i see. [applause] thank you so much. Check that this is on. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is bill alexander. Im the chief executive officer of the national law enforce minute offers Memorial Fund where you are right now. Home to our very sacred memorial across the street and home to the museum right here where we try to tell their story. Welcome. I would like to thank reverend hutch and Movement Forward and chief pamela smith and the metropolitan Police Department for their continuing support and having the idea and courage to have this very special event right here. I can think of no more appropriate place to have an event like this, right across the street from where we memorialize the men and women who have died in the line of duty. Its here right now where we memorialize the 23,785 men and women whose names a or sacred memorial right across the street and i always add an asterisk asterisk there, and counting. Every year, tragically we continue to add hundreds more names of men and women who continue to sacrifice everything for this country. Its also here where we try to tell the story their stories and of Law Enforcement as well. Ive retired from. Prince gorgeous Police Department almost two years ago to take this job. Like so many of you in this room, i know men and women whose names now adorn our very sacred walls. To say this space is a part of our organization would be a dramatic understate. Id like to think that i know a little bit about blue. I have spent most of my adult life in the Law Enforcement profession and as i walk these sacred grounds almost every day id like to think i know at least a little bit about faith. Certainly when i walk seize very sacred grounds, i feel something. Completely unrelated to faith blue, i know almost everything there is to know about apple and iphone product. So if anyone has any questions about them come see me afterwards. I have apple stock hanging on my wall. Of course i have the latest iphone pro minutes when steve jobs passed away a few years ago. My family and friends knew i was such an apple nut that my wife tells people that i was brought food to help mourn the pass of steve jobs. A quote from steve jobs came to mind as i was thinking about what i might say to you, this very Prestigious Group today. In march of 2011, steve jobs is on stage and presenting what was then the second revision of the ipad and he says to the crowd, technology alone is not enough. Technology married with the liberal arts, married with the humanitas, that yields the results that make our hearts sing and i wonder if you all will indulge me a slight bit further and allow me to steal from the late great steve jobs and say to you i believe Law Enforcement alone is not inform you have enough. That Law Enforcement married with faith and theiredded with community, that yields the results which makes our hearts sing. Faith blue is more than just an event. Its a symbol, a commitment that despite our differences we will stand together in the face of adversity, that we will listen, lean, learn and live each other. Its a declaration that we are stronger together than we are apart. That, ladies and gentlemen, sounds like a great definition of marriage to me. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome again to the national Law Enforcement memorial, thank you so much for coming this morning. [applause] and now, it is my continuing pleasure to introduce this morning, the chief of police for the metropolitan Police Department, a woman who had been and continues to be such a strong supporter of all things Law Enforcement but particularly here at the Memorial Fund. She joined us earlier this year to commemorate the 9 11 ceremony and the at every turn the metropolitan Police Department that is done Everything Possible to help honor the men and women whose names are inscribed across the street. Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce chief pamela smith. [applause] chief smith good morning. Please have your seats. Thank you, thank you so much for being here and certainly it is my honor and my pleasure to partner in this space of faith and blue. Whats unique about pamela a. Smith is that i wear kind of two divine hats in this space. One where im serving as the acting chief of police for the metropolitan Police Department but two, where i serve as the associate pastor, minister at Bethlehem Baptist Church in virginia. [applause] so when we talk about faith blue, theres already a connection in this space and i truly believe and ill say this and then get back to my script, that god was up to something. When he had the audacity to nominate a preacher and a Police Officer to oversee Public Safety here in the district of columbia and i am honored to serve the men and women of the metropolitan Police Department whom i believe are the best Law Enforcement officers across the United States of america. [applause] i like to say that birthday has been an active partner since faith blue was announced in 2020 and were excited to be kicking off the first of 4,000 events that will take place over the weekend across the country. That is simply amazing. Its amazing to me that we have Law Enforcement organizations and our faithbased communities coming pocket like we did when i was a young girl growing up in pine bluff, arkansas. I think some of you know what im talking about. M. P. D. Has eight events scheduled over the next three days across the nations capital. And were partnering with our Faithbased Community leaders in all ouch our districts doctor. This you 90s Law Enforcement, faithbased leaders and the community and thats what its all about this weekend. Bringing our collective strength, collective faith, our passion and expertise together with serving our communities and making im a safer place. As we look at the challenges that we are facing across our community and across the nation, its this critical relationship that i believe will play a key role in how we combat crime and create a safe space to work, play, and live. Our faith leaders are pillars in our community. Youre the rock for many Church Members and hope for those still trying to found their way out. Youre embedded everywhere across the district, across the nation and you offer a Strong Foundation for Community Members to turn to, whether for official uplimitting, for food, for clothing, for shelter and even a place too seek safety when theres a need for sol ace. These relationships are critical as they transform into Additional Resources for our community. Strengthening our community is the theme for today. Shortly were going to have a panel but it will be a different approach than your regular question and answer format. Were opening it up as a Group Discussion focusing on strengthen our community. How can we promote safer, stronger communities. How can we continue to build on working together and strengthening the relationships . Well, im glad you asked. Consistent with this approach, faith blue is based on the premise that Law Enforcement and faithbased institutions are both key pillars for every local community and when they join forces neighborhoods begin to thrive. Im looking forward to hearing your thoughts around this conversation and i encourage all of you to participate and legend your voices today. Together we can partner to come up with positive solutions, promote Community Action and establish longterm community networks, which is what faith blue embodies. I will close by saying this theres one familiar passage of scripture that always resident nate with me wherever i go. Well, theres actually two but the one that really sticks out the most to let me say that again. To whom much is given, much is required, so there is a requirement for us to stand in our spaces and places across the country and get back to helping our community. This is where i learned to pay it forward. This is where i learned to be a service to men over women, learn to be able to help others, and in this space of Law Enforcement with the crime going on across our communities we need you to take her place back in our community. We need to be strong. We need you to open up your church doors. We need you to be a breath of fresh air for our young people in our community. [applause] i told you the theme for today is strengthening our community. And i believed to date you showed up in this place. Listen, you did not just happen to be here today. You are here today because you want to be part of something larger right now. We have got to be. We have got to the. Let me say it again, we have got to be the change thats going to take place in our community, because to whom much is given, much is required. The community has invested in us. That is why we are here. And they are looking for a return on their investment. God bless you. And god keep you. [cheers and applause] thank you so much, chief smith. I know her official title is acting chief, but there is no doubt in my mind she will soon be the chief of the metropolitan Police Department. [applause] i had not planned to say this but i will say this now, out of the millions perhaps billions that shot up from the ether early this morning, one of my prayers was pleased, please do not let me do not make me follow the reverend as a speaker. [laughter] and now i am equally as glad i did not have to follow chief smith. [laughter] ladies and gentlemen, i have heard our next speaker speak another times in my life that there is no question in my mind he has some ability to reach out and grab the emotional part of your brainstem and shake you about as his words resonate within your soul. I am incredibly honored to have here with us today and to invite up on stage my friend, National Organizer of National Faith in blue and president and ceo of Movement Forward, reverend markel hutchins. [applause] rev. Hutchins good morning. Good morning. May god be the glory to things that are done but i dont know anyone about here but im glad to be here in effect im glad to be anywhere. [laughter] because as i travel from atlanta last night to washington dc way up in the air, the plane started to rattle because of turbulence and i realized it was the divine hand of an all loving god that cape that plane in the sky and i am so glad that god allowed me to see another day, so i want to thank god for what god has done. I get a lot of credit for this work of faith and blue, the flesh and blood of this. God did this. And god gets all the glory. I want to say thank you first to the national Law Enforcement officers Memorial Fund and museum where i have the honor of serving as the member of board of directors and on that wall directly across from us are the names of thousands of women and men who have given themselves in service to this nation and died in the line of duty, and before we do anything else, i would like us to bow our heads in a moment of silence for the officers who have fallen whose names are on that wall. I would also like for us to bow our heads in silence for a moment for the likes of tyre nichols and george floyd and Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery , and the young men and women who have died in Community Violence in increasing numbers over the last several years in our nation. I want to thank each one of you for coming here. I want to acknowledge the vice chair of our board, the reverend ernest brooks, my friend and brother the Deputy Director number two at the fbi is here, so many friends, but i certainly want to thank all the faith leaders who have come here this morning. In april of 2020, when i started to see people go on one side of the street in American Cities yelling, our lives matter. People on the different side of a different street yelling different messages i knew we were headed in the wrong direction because we have never progressed as a nation when we separate or segregate ourselves from one another. Thats right rev. Hutchins we only progressed when we have the courage to focus not on the things that divide us but the things that unite us. Thats right rev. Hutchins and that is what causes to create National Faith and weekend just three and a half years ago. Today, we officially kick off National Faith and blue weekend right here with you, but over the course of the next four days there will be thousands of activities across all 50 states, the u. S. Virgin islands, and puerto rico where local, state and federal Law Enforcement officers and communities will come together to figure out by pathway forward in their local communities. It is not enough for us to hang a side outside our congregation. Thats right rev. Hutchins it is not enough to curse the darkness. We have to light a candle and no one can do that like faithbased organizations in this country, the largest body of volunteers of any kind of a church, synagogue, mosque, every tempo should be standing with Law Enforcement because Police Police differently when they have a relationship with the community son with in which they are policing so i want to officially welcome each one of you to the official kickoff of National Faith in blue weekend. When i leave here i will join other major cities. I leave at 11 00 and fly to new york where we will join faith leaders in times square with the new york city Police Department and leave new york at 3 00 and fly to boston where i would join Boston Police and leave boston tonight and fly to chicago to be with faith leaders and Law Enforcement tomorrow in chicago and another six cities and states over the coming days. Why do we do this . We do this not for religious purposes, but we do this because our communities need you to stand in the gap. Let me say it like i want to say it, chief smith, there has never been a movement in the history of this country for positive social change, particularly civil rights, that was not anchored in the Faith Community. Thats right . Thats right [applause] rev. Hutchins but over the last several years we have given others the voice to speak about the subject matter and we created National Faith in blue we can so the Faith Community could take that voice back. And assume our place at the leadership table. So i want to thank all of you for coming. I will introduce first and then we will have the panel discussion. I want to first introduce the ceo of rap technologies. We could do this without our sponsors. Rap technologies is one of the National Sponsors of faith in blue we can and i want to invite kevin mullin the ceo of rap technologies to greet us then i would like Jonathan Thompson who is the executive director and ceo the National Chair association to come up and when he comes up, let us get the conversation started. Come right up. [applause] kevin mr. Alexander, your prayer was answered. Mine was not. [laughter] [applause] so, i was beat briefly. It is a pleasure to be here. I want to thank reverend hutchins, thank faith and blue, chief smith for the words. The words that you said. Um, faith and blue what it means to us, it is people coming together, people of different backgrounds of a different faith backgrounds coming together with dedicated Law Enforcement professionals to promote dialogue, build bridges and mutual respect. As a ceo of wrap technologies representing over 35,000 shareholders, i want to thank you and talk about the significance of faith and blue and what the weekend means as we celebrate bonds of faith and community, Law Enforcement, we underscored the importance of unity. We understand our trust in society. The world is often filled with challenges and uncertainties, but it is during these times that strength within our communities truly shines. Great in all forms plays a pivotal role in many of our lives. It provides us with a sense of purpose, with guidance, with immoral compass, and teaches us a moral compass, teaches us compassion, and as many of you know, just as that align closely with the Core Principles of our Law Enforcement agencies. The commitment to protect and serve, to uphold the law, and ensure the safety and wellbeing of all of our communities. By coming together during the faith and blue weekend we recognize that faith and Law Enforcement are not opposing forces. But rather two pillars that can support a stronger more harmonious and more humanitarian society. We acknowledge that Building Trust between these two vital elements of our community is essential for a safer and more equitable future for all of us. During this weekend we engage in open and honest conversation share our experiences learn from one another and break down stereotypes and challenge biases and we work towards a common goal. A common goal of creating a safer, more united community. In todays world where divisiveness and mistrust can often overshadow our shared values, the faith and blue weekend serves as a beacon of hope and reminds us that when we come together and embrace our differences and build bridges of understanding, we can overcome challenges, strengthen our communities and promote justice and peace so on behalf of wrap technologies, i want to thank everyone. It is an honor for us as a company to be a sponsor and i can think of no better way to spend our dollars than promoting events like these and everything that will happen over the weekend, so thank you. [applause] jonathan good morning. Good morning. Jonathan you know, as i was sitting and listening a few moments ago, imagine my surprise when god reached out and tapped me on the shoulder and said you have to give remarks in 30 seconds. [laughter] i want to very briefly say thank you. I want to say thank you to all of you who know that being here is more than about this room. It is about the young women standing over here in the young men around the outer edge, but it is about our communities. It is about our communities, because they are in our communities, and that, and that is where we all need to start. I am always hesitant to quote scripture following any one of the cloth, but i will paraphrase something. Who knows with the oldest, oldest human belief known to man . Who can say it . It is faith. When god created us, he had faith that we as a people, as human beings would follow his word. He had faith, he had faith in us. That is where it all begins, is the faith. Chief, i have faith that you will represent your community. [siren] paul, i have faith that you will represent the need of every american. I have faith that that fire engine will save someones life. [laughter] [siren] so before we get too comfortable in the blue, let us get comfortable in faith. We have to remember [applause] we must believe in each other. [siren] we must believe in the citizens that our men and women have to protect. We have to believe that what the mosque is preaching today will help everyone. We have to believe that god can touch you and will do it, but most importantly, we have to believe that the men and women in uniform in this country will serve, protect, and honor everyone. Everyone. Thank you so very much. God bless you. [applause] rev. Hutchins so now we will transition into our panel and open discussion and i wonder if i might bring up the moderator, reverend, bowen thomas bowen . Well, thank you, as someone who often jokes i am under contract by apple, i do see steve jobs as a prophet so you are in good company and in good stead. I am the director of the Mayors Office of Police Affairs and i am supposed to be on sabbatical as of january 3 [laughter] but some things are important, chief, and there are some things that cannot wait. I think my colleagues who are here even though i did not tell them to report, but they took it upon themselves and our social director julie nourse and others if you could stand so people know who to contact . [applause] when i received a call and was told Oprah Winfrey could not moderate [laughter] i was glad to show up and be here for this important conversation. It will be interactive. I am kinda dating myself but you want to channel Oprah Winfrey and donahue in terms of how you interact today. The panelists will be the ones who help get the conversation started, but relying on you. They are not miced but i will identify you and ask you to post your question, not too long of a comment, but your questions because it takes all of us, right . The late person who just said there may be a separation between church and state but no separation between church and community. There is no separation between community, police and faith. We do this delicate dance together, and i am pleased to invite to the podium to help us in this conversation chief rodney bryant, the president of the National Organization of black Law Enforcement, chief bryant . [applause] i am pleased to invite you. You have become a hero of mine, from the metropolitan Police Department. [applause] Jonathan Thompson the executive director and ceo of the National Sheriffs association. [applause] we have a great stand in, apparently mr. Thompson had to leave early but he will not be on the panel, and lastly and certainly not least, craig special agent in charge of the washington, d. C. Field office of the atf. [applause] of course we will be joined by reverend hutchins and chief smith. [applause] thank you for your leadership. Lets get started. We are here as the chief has already stated under that umbrella of strengthening our [indiscernible] we are operating under strengthening our community. Lets get started. What would you panelists say is the most significant factor to strengthening the relationship between community, Law Enforcement and faith leaders . Lets get started with you, chief fry. [indiscernible] i think that is a great question. What are the challenges that i think we have to recognize as we know our relationship and understand the different dynamics of our communities that we serve . And thank an africanamerican, i think that chief smith hit the point [indiscernible] and police but when you are africanamerican coming from a challenging community, i understand that there is a [indiscernible] and if you are not [indiscernible] the hurt, pain, and trust those committees have and not being able to work diligently and intentional to build those relationships, most of this will be [indiscernible] we have to get into those communities, understand that it is a lot of work because there is a lot of mistrust because there has been a lot of wrongs and damage, so once we are able to go into those communities, both faith leaders and police understand that we have a lot of work to do, be intentional about it, i think that is where we have to begin, then we can continue to build [indiscernible] because if you look at the dynamics of a bridge, it looks like it is on was impossible. It appears to me not being an engineer that a lot of work goes into it, and i think for us to get into these certain communities, that is what its going to take a lot of work. Thank you. Good morning. Thank you for having me. I will start by saying this, some of the most impactful things we can do come from times that are the toughest, right . When you are in a time of peace and there is no real priority out there, it is easy to become comfortable, so i think over the years, really we have within our own silos look to how to fix problems. Remember back it seems like many moons ago i worked for the assistant chief andriy right pulled me aside and said know your crimes, know your people but know your pastors the reference to him is the connection you will have to commute that you need to get right. It was right then and it is right now. Now it is a party. You heard her to say earlier that we are in a time where regardless of whether our crime rates are up or down, can we all agree it feels different today . Crime today feels different. There is a sense of urgency. We have heard the phrase proximity to pain changes a persons perspective, right . I really think now that many people in the city who used to worry about crime over there or over there see it right there at their doorstep and it changes perspectives. [sirens] so now the opportunity for faith in blue to come together will have the upper team for faith in the blue by partnering with pastors and reverends, rabbis, and e mountains come and go out into the street mr. You have to do so well alongside of it. [sirens] they are going to go save somebody too. What you do in Street Ministry gives us the credibility to get into these challenged community some make a difference, right . As much as i love it every day and cherish it and believe in it, it is a barrier for some of our communities and we know that, but having you come that brings perspective and you heard from our other speakers, more than ever it is time for us to activate boots on the ground and get out in the communities and meet people where they are. Not just opening the doors the church and waiting for people to come to you, let us go to him, and lets go to him together. [laughter] [applause] i heard the quote earlier in some people believe i made it up because there was a tshirt with the logo in the Third District we coalesced with our clergy leaders many in the room today, reverent heart, and started doing some real boots on the ground types of engagements, and every one of my colleagues in these rooms, let us not be confused, every district within the metropolitan Police Department has relationships with their clergy and does good work, but when i worked at the Third District, i had liquor stores, weed shops and places of worship than any others in my district so why not take advantage of that . All of you do great work in your own modalities, but when we come together, i heard earlier we are stronger together. That is a fact. Thank you. [applause] well, uh uh, i am not surly the [indiscernible] [feedback] i was the commander of our district one station. Every single major faith leader in my district i had on speed dial. I would say [indiscernible] check. Check. [indiscernible] Police Leaders are ravenous for connections. The old paradigm of 20 plus years ago Police Departments doing their own thing and not caring about the community are long gone. We have come an incredible way over the last 20 years. I promise you every Police Leader you know that in this coming in around the d. C. Area is ravenous for connections with you, the people in this room. If you do not know your district or station commander or the Police Officers who work in your district or the line station commanders in charge of patrol officers keeping your community safe, you are missing an opportunity. I am promising you they want to hear from you. They are desperate for that connection. So that is my thought. So [indiscernible] bring a unique perspective to this, because as a federal agent , i had the opportunity to serve in local Law Enforcement for several years before coming into the federal arena, so all the strength goes to local Law Enforcement because you have the hardest job. I compare my experiences from locally and being federal and it comes down to one thing i learned, and that is trust. Trust that the community has in your ability to aid them. Often times as local Police Officers you, i would come to essene during a Critical Incident and that is the only time that people in my community would meet when something went wrong, or when i had to do something to someone in the community, make an arrest or deal with them. [indiscernible] situation, so being [indiscernible] we dont come in every day and we are not on the street every day. We partner with our local Law Enforcement partners and work with them to try to make the community safer. We have the ability to participate with the community and Community Leaders. That is what i have tried to do as i traveled to several of my posts [indiscernible] in the country, is to be with Community Leaders and meet with local Law Enforcement and offer my partnership, not from the Law Enforcement perspective, but to talk, to come to these events and interact with the committee and say hey, i am a federal agent. This is what i do. This is what we bring to the table so i can work from my perspective to build the trust. [indiscernible] feel comfortable to interact. Its not just in times of [indiscernible] so that is an important thing. Finding that balance to where we can interact from a more positive position, and that is why im here today and look forward to the opportunities in the communities that come from a more positive perspective to build the trust. [applause] thank you. Commander, i know the work that you are doing and many of the clergy know of that work. We intentionally try to grow it through our city. What would you say about the essential elements or ingredients for policing . I main, that is i mean, that is a long answer for you. Let me be quick here. When you talk about Impactful Community engagement and policing, that includes every space and place of Law Enforcement, before and during the crime, after, and outside the 911 calls and the responding to alerts, it is really the opportunity for us to really jump forward and make an impact. Thats where i think the partnership with you guys is phenomenal. We are all familiar of the corridor. Also the nightlife activity and crime attracted to that area. Christian tabernacle [indiscernible] at midnight last night. What better time to get out in the streets and serve . I dont know about you. When i think of going home, i start speeding a little bit, what do i do . I slow down a little bit. [indiscernible] [laughter] however however [laughter] lets be honest. However, when i see my pastor, you know what i feel . Warmth in my heart. And i know the majority of folks in this great city feel the same way. We talked about the recidivism in our cities. The same group of people committing the same violent acts. But what about the folks who are goodhearted people and just want to have a good upbringing in a beautiful city . Enjoy the culture without the fear of crime . That is where you guys have become so inspirational, partnering with us. It is bringing that faith back to communities. If we can make people feel better, it wont be as bad. [indiscernible] do you remember the blackberry . Five or six years ago . We pushed out news alerts and crime alerts every 30 seconds. There used to be a time where you had to get your news from a newspaper or watch the nightly news. Now we get it all the time. We have the anxiety of it crime must be 100 times worse because it is all over the place. Crime is crime, but we advertise it more often. Im so grateful for those channels in the room today, covering this positive event. What do we see on the channels . Carnage, crime, despair there is so much more than that. Thank you so much for being here. Could you stand up for a second so i can applaud you, the clergy . Thank you very much. [applause] for those of you that didnt stand up, we will get you partnered with them to do good street work. You have been all over the country. What do you see as the essentials, audience . If you believe there is something to be an essential ingredient, please stand up to recognize you. The most essential thing is for those of you and those of us who have a public voice, to use that voice for good. Its not for its not enough for us to yell and scream when an officer does something wrong. I believe in holding Law Enforcement accountable. But the number one social justice and civil rights issue today is crime and violence. More young people, particularly africanamerican men are losing their lives to the hands of violence than anything else. It is our obligation and communal responsibility to change the discussion, to shift the narrative. Just like we stand up in front of our congregations and lament when an officer does something wrong, we have to use that same voice with equal enthusiasm and stand up and speak positively about the women and men that do good work of policing in our communities everyday. Because until we shift [applause] until we shift the narrative that Law Enforcement is somehow opposed to our communities and and still we start raising her voice our voice, of course there are about Police Officers, and when they do something wrong, we will hold them accountable, but 99 of the officers in this country do the work of policing with integrity, and we have to lift them up. We have to do what dr. King told us to do. Raise the voice of the silent majority of the people in our community. And nobody can do that like the safe community. If we dont do it, we will continue to see a mass exodus of officers from the Law Enforcement profession. It was not just [indiscernible] we did it understanding that if we dont lift Police Officers up, we wont have Police Officers in our community and when we dont have Police Officers on our community, crime and violence goes up. Our best march now is with Law Enforcement. And that is what this whole thing is about. Thank you. [applause] reverend collin . The environment in which the church is located is worth changing. There are leaders who do not have the faith to implement that the church has. As the city expands, the place that seems to be targeted first is the church. Because they are after the land. My question is this how extensive, or how deep do you go in the psychology of the discussion with city leaders about respecting the church, who have a historical lineage in that community, that forces the seniors out, and when it comes to policymaking, bike lanes and dog parks go before the space of the believer . Amen. [applause] thank you, reverend. Any one want to respond to the . The chief, commander butler . Thank you for that. But the police cannot do everything. And i think its really important, as you think about whos going to be that voice, the folks that vote, you need to be a voice in that space. When you talk about where there is a reduction, if you will, of support for our faith leaders. I will say this, for the two months that ive been here, our faith leaders also need to come to the table. It is one thing to talk about what we need to do with crime in the district of columbia. And we are going to do that. Did you see the news last night . Yeah. Im just saying, we are going to do it. I also know that its not this one opportunity where we can come and have this discussion and never have the discussion again. I would like faith leaders across the district of columbia to come and sit with me. That was my first call to action. I am still waiting. And i say that to say no discredit to any of the faithbased leaders in the space, but if we are going to strengthen our communities, we have to start somewhere. And today is the impetus of bringing faith and blue back together to get out in our community. There are many pastors right now, i met one a couple of weeks ago who said we are doing walks in our community. I have lived in staten island, new york for quite some time. It was certainly a big part of the Faithbased Community there. One of the things that we would do, whenever there was a shooting death in our community, the Ministerial Alliance would come together, we would be out on the street at night, in support. Often times when i go out in the street at night, with some of my Law Enforcement members, its usually just us. But i think the call to action even today is the first is come to the table and have a discussion about the things happening in your community on the run your churches and then we strategically determine how we are going to collectively address it. I gave the commander credit i give the commander credit. Theres a program that he started, i didnt ask him to do it, called clubs and clergy called cops and clergy. He believed that weve got to believe in something other than the stuff thats happening in the district of columbia. Who are the folks that can come together to really help us going back to the foundation of where we come from . Are our clergy and the Law Enforcement personnel. We are going to do our job. We are going to serve and protect. As this young man just stated if you months ago, accountability is all over us, we will hold folks accountable and all that, even from the top of this Police Agency where i sit. Hold me accountable. Right . But that accountability also lies in our community. When we talk about faithbased leaders, we need you at the forefront of helping us to do this job. And that is no discredit to anyone. Its not a debbie downer. I am willing to partner with you. My team is willing to partner with you. My commanders, my assistant commanders. Our sergeants, we are willing to partner with you. Keep standing at the door and knocking. The doors open for you guys to be a part of this change to strengthen our communities. [applause] its not just in d. C. , it is everywhere across the country. Every major city in america from new york to everywhere across the country, they are gathering faith leaders for faith and blue like we are here. They are the movement thats growing. If we are not careful, we will get bogged down. And not celebrate and acknowledge who was with us. I say that because all the times thats why i appreciate so much with the commander is doing. It does not take a whole lot of churches, synagogues, and mosques to do anything. Standing in lockstep with the Police Department will change everything when it comes to crime and violence. I encourage you, those in the room, grab hold of this, your chiefs and district commanders and get out on the street and make a difference, your churches will grow, the communities will prosper, the people in our neighborhoods are looking to the church, saying, what are you all doing . Theres enough of us in this room, if you start working with the commanders program, working with the chief, the department, within a years time, you can see a significant decline in Violent Crime just by your being present. In the community. I think the point the theme i continue to hear is the action theme. He started by saying you have to do more than curse the darkness, in the light of the candle, there is the action part that is taking place. As chief smith stated, when i was chief in atlanta, we were facing some of the exact same situations. Police were always held accountable. What we need is faith leaders to be in assistance and coming out and taking action and taking over these areas where we were having challenges in. Because nothing moves our community more than our church. Nothing. That is where our faith lies. One of the questions that i have to the church, however, i asked it of my own ministers, Law Enforcement and churches are seeing some of the very same things, the diminishing of the gathering of young people, we are losing the young and the church and we are losing the young in Law Enforcement. We now are in a space we need to rebuild that. And that is the action part we are now relying upon, to help us in. We are looking to see what you are doing to build your numbers and that is what it is going to take to build our Law Enforcement numbers as well, to reestablish and reignite the youth in joining us. We are running up against time. There are two people on the floor that i will identify. What im going to do is have you ask your question then a panelist will respond. If you dont have a mic, he is your church voice use your church voice. [laughter] [indiscernible] thank you. Reverend carlton, representing the temple of praise. Mine is real quick my Law School Education has taught me, ask a question, get direct to the point. Chief smith, i did see the news. You are doing a phenomenal job. What i want to do is follow proper protocol. I know you have given out your number. We dont want to overwhelm you. Can you give us the proper protocol of protocol protocol of who to call to be a part of your agenda . Me. [laughter] [applause] heres the thing we have to lead from the top in this space. Ive been saying it over and over. Im just waiting for you all to call me. But when i call you, the expectation is you are going to rally up folks. All i need is just one or two people to say, this is the time, this is the date, lets all come together, then you will get the other folks to come into the space with us and we can strategically design what we would like to do for our community. You have my number so me, you have my number. Hi, good morning, piano. Thank you all so much. Panel. Thank you all so much. I am the Advisory Council chairperson. One of the things that we do at our church is we have night where we bring homeless and on housed resident unhoused residents into our church one week a year during the cold month. I want to thank all the mosques and synagogues who have done actions. I was carjacked last year on sixteenth street. There were cameras all around that church. He opened up the church with officers to do what they needed to do. He has opened up his church for community events, back to school events. Tomorrow he is having a wonderful fall festival for our committee. I want to thank all of our churches, mosques and synagogues doing something. [indiscernible] she is like hey, is that a white shirt . That is what we need to do at 11 00 or 12 00 at night. We need to have community gatherings. How can we hear from the top down that it is ok for us to move forwards at 12 00 at 12 00 at night, at noon . I want to thank those districts that do that and ask, how can we get together and feel more comfortable in working with our clergy and opening up our charges for our communities if it is ok if when you have that roundtable, i would like to ask out cacs to consider building that cops with the clergy programs, thats amazing, ive never heard of that, it is important for all of us to get together and hear what is going to work for all of us together and we are ready to put boots on the ground to get it done. Thank you. We unfortunately those with some lasts questions, feel free to stop the panelists afterwards for a response. If you want to respond to those last two questions, anyone . If you are you are a cac in which district . Fourth district. Reach out to the fourth district. We will support you. Thank you. I want to particularly shout out the reverence the reverends, for their work. Lets give all of our panelists a round of applause. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, thank you again to our panelists. Please maintain your seats for just a moment. We will ask chief smith to come back up and offer some closing remarks. We would like to say thank you to all of our federal, local and state partners, all of our clergy in the room, also all the Community Members, to the members of the metropolitan Police Department, our cadet program, to our leaders in our community who came out to support this effort. A special thank you to the team for hosting us in this space. We could not have done it without you. Everyone who took part in this event, thank you so very much. We are here today for a purpose, and that is to really strengthen our community. If theres anything anything the metropolitan Police Department can do to support you and your efforts, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. Thank you again for all that youve done. I also have some knowledge our chaplains, also here today. Thank you so much for what you do in our communities. I believe because i have to believe in something i believe that we are going to get better in our communities and we are going to drive down crime. Again it is a community effort. But we are going to always take the lead in Public Safety. But what we want to do is be able to strengthen our communities by increasing and strengthening our relationship. Thank you, god bless you, and please enjoy the rest of your day. [applause] hold on just one more minute, folks, we wouldnt be a faith event if we didnt have a closing prayer. I hope you will help me welcome our minister, also a chief battalion here in washington, d. C. Praise the lord. This is a short reflection, so nobody thinks im out of order. I would like to say, that i am reminded that during the onslaught of the 80s, when we had all the balance going on, i was standing out, feeling as if i had no hope, but it was the church that didnt wait for me to come in the building, it came out and got me, and the church reminded me, the young man, you are part of the solution, you are not a part of the problem. And i was able to get give my life to jesus christ. And now i stand here today, i have been a d. C. Firefighter for 27 years. I am now a battalion fire chief in the chapter. What im reminded of, every day i got up and put on this uniform, after being part of the city for so long, that i would probably get up and hold up my head to represent the d. C. Fire and ems department, but then every day, the law reminded me, that you are not so important because you are a firefighter, you are important because you are a child of the most hiking, and dont you ever forget high king, and dont you ever forget, it is your relationship with god, it is the truth of gods word and the fact that my spirit lives on inside of me and i just want to remind us that god has called us to be his ambassadors, his representatives. We are the thought of the earth. We are the life of the world. And faith and blue, working together, with the holy spirit, with jesus christ walking in us and through us, i want to remind us that it is love that makes the difference. That we can remove guns, we can put folks in prison, but if we dont change hearts and change minds, we will be working in vain. And i just want to say, before i sit down that the lord laid down on my heart, according to chronicle 714, that if my people, which are called by my name, with humble will humble themselves and play, seek my face and turn from my wicked ways, then will we hear from heaven and god will forgive us of our sins and then he will heal the land. I want you to know, that it wasnt because the police came to my house, it wasnt because a judge told me what to do, although they did, it was because the lord put his spirit in me, he called me to act right, he changed my mind, and he changed my heart. And i say to you today, let god has already told us, we are going to have trials and tribulations, but he has already overcome the world. We have the victory. And god sent us a reminder by taking a preacher and taking the police chief to bring her to the forefront, he wanted us to know that Police Officers fight and reduce crime, firefighters put out fire and save property, but children of god change hearts and change minds, and jesus said, therefore, nobody can be a gifter, whether you are a christian, a buddhist, muslim, no matter what god you say you serve, be accountable to your god so that our children from the white house to the outhouse will know that, with god, anything and everything is possible. [applause] let us pray. In the name of jesus, we come to you right now. Father, i thank you. We know that from the white house to the outhouse, that you are able to do exceedingly more than we ever hoped, thought or imagined. You didnt bring us here because you brought us here because we are in a state of emergency. You said in the last days, perilous times will come. But, father, i am so thankful you have already equipped us for the battle. It is time to roll up our sleeves and seek and save that which is lost. Love our neighbor and understand it is just jesus and the rest of us. Your word says to be careful for nothing. To let our request be known unto god and the peace of god and understanding will keep our hearts and minds through christ jesus. The police chief and those in leadership, father, thank you, we will maximize what we have. We are looking to you. And we know you are going to save our children, save our families and communities, because you are going to use us father god to roll up our sleeves and let everybody know that our god is god, father, protect our Police Officers, let them know that they are not alone. Protect them, father god, give all of us the peace that man didnt give us and man cant take away. We love you and praise you. In jesus name, amen. [applause] thank you very much, minister lawson. If everyone could just hang for 30 seconds, i have some closing notes. Everyone, immediately following this event this morning, theres going to be a march. We will transition over to the homeless shelter right down the street. Everyone is welcome to join to help distribute care packets. Our retail shop inside the museum is open, if you are interested in buying something from retail. We want to thank the washington, d c police foundation. Ladies and gentlemen,thank you so much. Thank you again