About Veritas. ([Athens, Georgia]) 1970-1970 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 28, 1970)
good community police actions In the October 6 edition of the Red and Black, there appeared an article on the new community relations division of the Athens' Police Department. This move on the part of the local law enforcement agency is one of the more progressive measures taken by it and other police departments through t-out the state. In Athens the action was prompted by the disturbances here last May that left many black citizens particularly resentful of the local police. The new division is under the supervison of police Sargents Hollis Kimsey and Clifford Freeman. Working under them are three regular police officers and eleven neighborhood service officers, ranging in age from 17 to 22. Although the young neighborhood service officers wear uniforms and badges, they do not carry guns and are not law enforcement officers. They are local men who are particularly concerned about the friction between Athens' youth and the police: concerned enough to go out into the community and work to close this gap. I recently had an opportunity to talk with Sgt. Freeman and Walter Moore, a black neighborhood service officer who is also attending Athens Technical School. After speaking with them, I was very encouraged by their enthusiasm over the project and their assurance of the success of the new division. Both, however, felt that the greater part of the program's success hangs on the communi ty's response. They said it should grow as people become more acquainted with its function. Some of the activities sponsored by the division are organized sports, dances, parties, music lessons, and flag football for adults. Also the officers go into the schools here to familiarize school-age children with police and their role in today's society. Films are shown and small, informal group meetings are held. The neighborhood service officers also go out into the community to talk with the people who cannot be reached by other means. According to Moore, who works at the Lyndon House Recreation Center, one of the major problems is the lack of indoor activities. He also pointed out that more social interaction between the neighborhood officers and the youth, rather than mere supervision, would aid in quickly bringing the two together. In its article the Red and Black said that the white community feels the police division is only for blacks. I found that in the area of the Lyndon House, where both blacks and whites live, that white children would not participate in the organized activities. They were not denied the use of the program, but would not take advantage of it. Results of the division's work are already visible. Some of the tension in the black areas has subsided and individuals who had at one time agitated the police are now coming around and talking with them. Even at the local high schools, which were partially the cause for the disturbances in May, there have not been any severe confrontations. While the people of the community are learning more about the police through the community relations program, the law en forcement officers are in turn learning more about the residents of the areas in which they work. we're slowly getting together Also, due to the interchanging of the neighborhood service officers (three are white and eight are black) and the possible increase of whiteofficers in the black areas, better understanding between the two races may result. Overall, the community relations division appears to have gotten off to a good start. The Athens Police Department deserves commendation for taking the initiative and creating the new division. Hopefully it will become an integral part of the community and, through its success, help in making Athens a place of brotherhood and peace. offer OFFER (Opportunities for Friend ship, Education, and Recreation), which began as a recreation program on Saturday afternoons for underpriveleged children, has become too large to be handled as a separate program and is being federated under the larger concept of Communiversity. OFFER was begun in Fall 1969 by several students interested in community service, and by the following summer had added a tutoring program and the Big Brothers and Big Sisters project, and involved 60 persons. The establishment of Communiver sity under Dean Suthern Sims is the initial breakthrough with the university to draw in more sources of aid and involves several campus organizations. The SGA (Student Government Association) is compiling a directory listing all social agencies in town that may desire voluntary aid. Student Affairs, under Charlie But ler, coordinator, is responsible for integrating all of the programs. Student Housing, under Dave De Coster, is in charge of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters program which is designed to provide underpriveleged children, aged 713, with a personal relationship with an older person. OFFER is the steppingstone which created rapport with the community and is in charge of the following programs: A recreation program includes sports and arts and crafts, as well as a day care center and pre-school work. A tutoring program helps the child with his school work and gives him a chance to benefit from a personal relationship with the tutor. A visual arts program helps develop the child's creativity. Children are brought to the University Art Department for presenta tions of various forms or art, music, and drama. The Drug Abuse Center sponsors programs dealing with the drug problem, much of which will be done in conjunction with the University's Mental Health Division. The Black Culture series is an attempt to create a better understanding of black culture and achievement and is aimed primarily at white adults. These programs are still in the planning stage but should be in operation the first part of November, Winston Grady, president of OFFER said. He said the prospective volunteers are being trained "so they will know where they stand and what they are getting involved in." "We lost a lot of people last year because they had messianic complexes," Grady said. "It can be frustrating working with low income people. It's a completely different world and the students must realize this." Grady said that the student re sponse this year has been fantastic. He expects over 325 volunteers to have applied by the end of October. Unfortunately, very few people have signed up for the Black Culture program, Grady said. Response to the Drug Abuse program has also been very poor. "We need more volunteers to work on these projects," he said. Mary Hall Page 6 ^ Veritas
