Chattanooga PD Learns New Tool to Prevent Ferguson-Like Situations

The two dozen member team broke up into three groups at the request of Chief Fred Fletcher.

They then immersed themselves in the African American, Hispanic, and LGBT communities.

Chief Fletcher adds, "The whole point of this is everybody, regardless of where they’re from, what they look like, what their economic background is, have a basic right to be treated with respect and dignity."

Chief Fletcher tells us he hopes the cadets learn how to appreciate other cultures.

Chief Fletcher adds, "I want them to appreciate people who are different, to understand that not only are they allowed to be different, but that we want them to be different."

Chief Fletcher says that difference creates strength, that diversity creates depth, and that makes Chattanooga a better community.

Blake Ketron, a cadet, says, "A lot of people from this class are not from here and we got to get out in a community we’re not familiar with and interact with people we normally wouldn’t interact with."

The cadets spent a total of 50 hours talking with their designated group.

Then, they had to write a paper on their findings, and present it to other cadets and high ranking officials within the police department.

Trevor Creighton, a cadet, says, "They biggest thing to take away is that everybody is getting a voice, a voice that they may not have had in the past."

Chief Fletcher says in past they’ve learned about other cultures by having instructors come in, but he says that just wasn’t effective enough.

From here on out, he says this is the way he’ll be doing business.