CMPD Brings Conversation to Protests

CHARLOTTE, NC — Protests and riots in uptown put angry citizens and police on opposite sides of a thin blue line. CMPD is using a new approach to try and open a constructive dialogue with some of their most vocal critics.

“Walking away is really, we don’t have an option to do that any more,” says CMPD Lt. Zeru Chickoree.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police are trying something new. Tapping a group of 15 people from across the department to be a voice for CMPD. Interacting with protesters during times of turmoil.

“This is kind of a one of a kind team,” says Sgt. Chris Kopp. “It’s something that’s never really been done before.”

The idea for the Constructive Conversation Team came after the September protests and riots in the wake of the Keith Scott shooting. The team was constructed through volunteers and recommendations from supervisors.

“We hand selected them to make sure that we had officers that could take a lot of verbal abuse,” says Lt. Chickoree. “And we got that last night.”

“I know that it’s not towards me,” says Detective Hank Suhr. “I know that it’s maybe towards the badge or the profession. And that then gives me the ability to take it. Allow them to get their anger out. Stay calm and talk back, and hopefully have some kind of positive conversation.”

Listening is key. And controlling emotions in a stressful situation.

Building trust through direct action is the goal for CMPD. Putting this team together is just a step in the process.

Detective Hank Suhr helped protect fellow officers during the September events, watching the Civil Emergency Unit officers take verbal abuse without being able to respond.

“They have a different task,” says Suhr. “So when the department analyzed and noticed there’s a little bit of a gap here, that’s where we came in.”

“Once you get past that anger, and that venting, and you can actually engage them one on one – or one on four, or five – it’s surprising how many questions, legitimate questions, they have and concerns that they have,” says Kopp. “And now we have the ability to actually answer those.”

The CMPD Constructive Conversation Team is on hand tonight for any protests in Uptown, and for any continuing protests moving forward.