ShopTalk: Irving Police Head To Barber Shops To Build Bridges
IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - America's racial divide is perhaps most glaring in the tension and distrust between communities of color and law enforcement.
So what to do? Talk.
"We talk about everything in the barbershops," said Irving police officer Jonathan Plunkett.
So why not have the hard conversations that make our communities better? Four years ago, in response to the Dallas police shooting, Plunkett launched ShopTalk.
"We go in like friends where we are just talking, no town hall. We sit down, have conversations," said Plunkett.
There are no lectures, but there's definitely an agenda -- building better relationships in the communities that need them but who often allow mistrust to get in the way.
"To be honest, at first, I was sort of nervous," said Demetrius Ennett, owner of 5Star Cutz in Irving. "But, after meeting with officer Plunkett and Chief Spivey and just seeing that they were genuine about what they were doing, I felt more comfortable."
Now, he says customers request the officer's visits.
"Oh, they love it," said Ennett. "When they come in, you can have a legitimate conversation and it don't feel forced. It's just a natural conversation and they're open to having those hard conversations that you normally wouldn't be able to have."
Still, if you weren't expecting a police presence while heading out for a cut --
"What am I about to get myself into?" said Joseph Bowie with a laugh.
"It's very cool," added customer Sam Fidone. "Very unique environment and I think we definitely need a lot more of it."
And let's be clear: the bridges built by conversation allow travel in both directions.
"They've never experienced it, they didn't grow up in it, they don't understand the history behind it," said Irving Police Chief Jeff Spivey, "and when they sit down in that barber shop and start having those honest conversations, it's like 'oh, I can see it now.' That lightbulb moment happens and it's really life changing."
It has been for officer Greg Black.
"Oh, yes ma'am... I throw bones with the best of them!" said the officer when asked if he enjoys his visits in the barber shops and salons.
Black was honored, along with a local salon owner, by the NAACP for their participation in the ShopTalk program.
"It made me not just a police officer but officer Black... and to be invited into that was one of the greatest pleasures of where I get to work." Black said.
And the program is working so well that it's being expanded to other cities, including Euless, Duncanville, DeSoto, and Grand Prairie -- with help from non-profit One Community USA.
"It's about establishing a trust factor," said Plunkett. "This is what it's all about: establishing trust between the community and the police."