Rocky Ratliff III, Ret. Major, Tampa PD has been putting on Community-Police Zoom Forums for our youth for 3 years. He started by getting Pi Iota Chapter Sponsored through Derrick Brooks Charities in 2021. The forums occurs on a monthly basis.
Director of Derrick Brooks Charities Youth Programs, Darrell Daniels, Brother Ratliff
and Retired Lieutenant Karl Davis (HCSO) came up with the name and the program is Funded by the Office of the Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Why Police-Community Relationships (CPR) are important: Strong relationships of mutual trust between police and the communities are critical to maintaining public safety and effective policing. In the wake of incidents involving police shootings of unarmed black and brown people along with the nation’s racial division leading to what occurred with George Floyd’s death. The legitimacy of police actions was questioned. It was imperative that Police and Community Relationships were our top priority. Our country needed (CPR) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. The Community and Police working together was the only solution to help prevent social disorder. We wanted to have candid conversations with our Youth. We have been conducting these types of conversations with youth at crime prevention conferences since the early 90s with youth and adults (What to do when stopped by the police). The concept of our CPR forum was not new. Covid-19 placed the country sheltered in our homes so when Zoom was realized, we came up with the Idea of a CPR Zoom Forum to speak with the community specifically our youth. We held the First CPR Forum on Zoom, November 19, 2020. We use a variety of Panelists who our youth could ask questions on different topics. We partner with Chief of Police and Sheriffs throughout the State of Florida, Attorneys, Community Leaders, Sheriff Deputies and Police Officers.
Rocky Ratliff III, Ret. Major, Tampa PD
Strategic Community Engagement, LLC