To: Town of Wellfleet: Selectmen, Town Administrator and Chief of Police.
Town Of Wellfleet: Initiate Training for Community Policing Now
We the undersigned ask that the Selectmen officially adopt a policy of Community Policing as a guiding principle in the conduct and administration of the Wellfleet Police. We also ask that the Selectmen instruct Chief Fisette and Mr. Terkanian to follow through without delay on providing Community Policing training to all Wellfleet officers, if possible in partnership with other towns on the Cape, and to make timely reports to the citizens of Wellfleet as to the progress of this request. Please place the number 1, 2 or 3 after your name: 1. Resident taxpayer; 2. Non resident taxpayer; 3. Visitor; 4 Other.
Why is this important?
The positive effects of the principles of Community Policing have proved a powerful principle in defusing potentially deadly encounters between police and citizens, and fostering positive relationships between police and citizens. More importantly the concept reminds us all of how the simplest and subtlest aspects of our behavior can have profound negative or positive effects. Oftentimes these are not easily measurable or teachable, but this should not deter us, or our town governments, from aggressively pursuing initiation of this training and adopting this policy as an overall guiding principle for all departments.