The Harrison Police Department has been focusing on community relations in two important ways.
The Department has been taking a close look at recent instances of police brutality in other parts of the country. This has led to adjustments in policy language as well as discussions with officers about "duty to intervene." This means that officers have the responsibility to stop other officers if they see them engaging in unethical behavior, such as excessive use of force. They are also responsible for reporting it.
Police Chief Charles Lindsey recently shared details about this subject with The Harrison Press. In a July 7, 2020 article, he said officers are trained to de-escalate situations, so use-of-force arrests are rare in Harrison.
“Our goal as a police department is to ensure Harrison remains a safe place to live, work and play,” said Chief Lindsey.
Earlier in 2020, the Department rolled out re-designed patrol cars. The new graphics replace a design from 1999 on the fleet of eight marked police cruisers.
"People in the community readily recognize HPD by our black and white patrol cars," said Chief Lindsey. "The new graphics represent who we are as a modern police department."