Meridian Police Department announces new Community Outreach Initiative to reduce crime

The Meridian Police Department announced their new community outreach initiative at the City Council meeting today.

Chief Charles Coleman introduced the initiative as a multi-faceted effort that is designed to meet the needs of the community.

According to a press release, the first phase of the project is to strengthen community policing. The second phase is establishment of the Meridian Police Department of the MPD Communications Team.

The unit is made up of three officers from the MPD: Lieutenant Patrick Gale, POFC Rachel McCord and POFC Kayla Gould.

McCord says as a unit, they are coming together as a community and as a police department to help reduce crime in the city. The officers will be stepping out to speak with individuals of the community to see what changes they would like to happen.

MPD Chief Charles Coleman states, “Make no mistake about it, we are committed to our community. The MPD Communications Team is just one of many ways that we are working to help better meet the needs of our city.”

Johnny Hawthorne says this is a good start for the department to reduce crime, but it’s really not stopping anything.

"I feel the department has a good idea, but not the right idea. Crime is at a high right now in the city and changes have to be made in order for the community to feel safe. People can talk all day, but there’s really nothing that has changed."

The group’s goal is to improve the communication between the department, media and the community.