Oakland County Sheriff's Office working to build trust with residents
(CBS DETROIT) — The Oakland County Sheriff's Office is hoping to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.
It's hosting events focused on breaking down barriers and misconceptions about policing.
Set up inside the gym of the Clarkston United Methodist Church is a simulator using virtual reality. Users act as an Oakland County sheriff's deputy that's been called to check on a person who is drinking alcohol outside of a gas station.
"Every time, our goal is to deescalate that for a peaceful resolution," Lieutenant Tim Willis with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said.
That's just one example of what to expect at a community policing and educational event.
"There's a lot of things that community can learn from law enforcement. It's a lot of things that law enforcement can learn from the community," Darryl Woods with the Community Foundation of Southeastern Michigan said.
And that's the goal — a robust dialogue between law enforcement and the people.
"What is vitally important [is] that the community have a stake in how we are policing our communities. Their voices matter," Woods said.
Panel discussions, Narcan distribution and comfort dogs are all part of the event.
"We are happy to change our policies, our tactics, or whatever, to better suit the community. Sometimes we just do things because that's the way we've done it, and we need, you know, to be educated. And sometimes, it's just, we're doing it because it's been well-thought-out, well-reached-out, researched, well-practiced. And we just need to educate the public on that," Willis said.
Their mission is a better understanding and to rebuild trust.
The sheriff's office is planning to bring more of these events to cities in the county.
It is a free event, registration is not required and all are invited to attend.