What: Joint press conference to highlight the availability of the City of Danville Police Department citizen complaint forms
When: Wednesday, December 9 at 11:30 a.m.
Where: Green Street Police Precinct at Doyle Thomas Park (827 Green St., Danville, VA 24541)
Danville, Va.—Virginia Organizing and the City of Danville Police Department will hold a joint media conference on Wednesday, December 9 at 11:30 a.m. in front of the Green Street Police Precinct at Doyle Thomas Park to highlight the availability of citizen complaint forms and provide an overview of the complaint process.
Ebony Guy, a leader in the Danville Chapter of Virginia Organizing, sees this announcement as a sign of progress in police-community relations.
“Over the last six years, members of Virginia Organizing have been meeting with Danville City Police Chief Philip Broadfoot to discuss community and law enforcement relationships,” said Guy. “We’re pleased to announce this joint venture to ensure that citizens know how to make a complaint and what will happen once they do. This is one of many steps Virginia Organizing has taken to improve police/community relations.”
Following the most recent round of meetings inspired by the #BlackLivesMatter movement across the country, Virginia Organizing leaders and Chief of Police Philip Broadfoot agreed that highlighting both the availability of complaint forms and how the complaint process worked would lay the groundwork for better relations.
“A clear and easy to use complaint process is critical for fostering citizen confidence in a police agency,” said Broadfoot. “The Danville Police Department provides complaint forms in the lobby of the department and on our website. We will also accept complaints in person or over the telephone. We encourage any citizen who believes they have been unprofessionally treated to consider these options. Complaints will be thoroughly investigated and tracked.”
Following the press conference, Virginia Organizing members will canvass the surrounding neighborhood to inform residents directly of the availability of the forms.
Virginia Organizing is a non-partisan statewide grassroots organization that brings people together to create a more just Virginia.
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