IMPD kicks off ‘Faith & Blue Weekend’ with youth engagement lock-in
INDIANAPOLIS – For many teens, the idea of police might stir feelings of fear or distrust. But Friday night, in Lawrence, officers and youth shared a space built on conversation, not conflict.
It was the first of two collaborative IMPD events celebrating “Faith & Blue Weekend,” which the department describes as “a national effort to bring together law enforcement and the communities they serve.”
“They [youth] can have some fun, real fun, not having to worry about getting shot up,” said 18-year-old Cameron Washington. “They don’t have to worry about fights or anything like that.”
You might not believe any teen would happily get locked in somewhere with police for a night, but dozens flocked to Lawrence to prove you wrong.
“Some of these young people in this building are on juvenile probation. Some of these young people in this building have active Department of Child Services cases,” said New B.O.Y. founder Kareem Hines. “So to balance that and have those same interactions in a positive space, we can now create a different narrative.”
Kareem Hines hosts much of his New B.O.Y. programming out of that building, the New Revelation Church. Together with IMPD and Lawrence officers, the church, OPHS and Inner Beauty gave kids a place to safely enjoy a Friday night, and hopefully walk away with a new perspective.
“They see familiar faces that they see in the community often,” said Maj. Corey Mims with IMPD. “So, I think those are ways this is paying off.”
Officers from both departments showed up to lead conversations, with an emphasis on listening to the kids.
“The rising tide raises all ships. We’re all getting better at this. We’re all getting better at this thing called life,” said Sgt. Paul Lushin with the Lawrence Police Department.
The proof is in the teens who choose to come back and share their own stories.
“I’ve done the drug dealing. I’ve done the guns. I’ve been locked up. I’ve been shot,” Washington recounted. “So I understand the pain and I understand the anger and the hatred you guys have for one another.”
Cameron Washington has experienced more in his 18 years than many do in a lifetime, giving him a certain wisdom and credibility among his peers and community leaders alike – that he says is key to truly bridging whatever disconnect exists between youth and police in Indianapolis.
“I’ll speak for the youth. We need more youth to come to events like this. Because we can’t have a whole bunch of police officers and not a whole bunch of kids,” Washington said.
On Sunday morning, IMPD command staff will be visiting several area churches, aiming to deepen neighborhood connections, also as part of Faith & Blue Weekend.
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