Chattanooga Police Chief Fletcher Says Communication Is Key To Easing Tensions Between Police Brutality Demonstators and Officers

CHATTANOOGA,TN, (WDEF)-"My police officers worry about each other and their community, I worry about my police officers and my community on a daily basis, its our job its what we signed up to do."

Chief Fletcher says his officers were aware of a major "Black Lives Matter" lie in demonstration at a Chattanooga mall over the weekend.
     He feels a way of preventing these demonstrations about police brutality from getting out of hand is through open communication.

"Key to successful relations regardless of the current climate, when they become heightened, your previous avenues and bridges of communication pay dividends, which is why from the very first day I got here we started working on that and building relationships."

A local African American community leader says she understands why some officers have been shot but does not support it and feels respect from a young age can diffuse the tensions.

Gloria Griffith, African American Community Leader and Renaissance Presbyterian Church Elder,"If they see brutality coming out of a policeman or a police officer or another adult being brutal that is something you are teaching a child to do."

Gloria added brutality or misuse of guns by officers needs to be addressed and says Chattanoogan’s are trying to make their feelings heard peacefully.

"They have a gun they have to remember that they are already have the power they are for the police, just be what you are."

Organizers of the demonstrations in Chattanooga are currently in Los Angeles with other leaders of the "Black Lives Matter" and "The I Can’t Breath" campaigns from across the US, sharing their experiences.

Chief Fletcher tells News 12 he makes sure his officers receive 22 weeks of training, which is more than the state requirement, so his team do not resort to brute force or disrespect communities.