Baron Coleman: "At my local Walgreens, I was approached by several residents who had seen the TV coverage. . . . They wanted to take a picture with their new community squad car."
This is the second in an occasional series by a 51-year-old police officer working at the 8th Precinct in Northwest Detroit. His personal views are adapted and slightly expanded from Facebook posts with permission.
By Baron Coleman
May 17:
I have some wonderful neighbors in a pleasant part of Detroit. As I drive home now in my Neighborhood Police Officer car, people wave and stop me to ask about the program Chief James Craig announced May 7.
My community has a good group of mostly middle-aged homeowners who take care of their property and work hard. My next-door neighbor, an elderly woman who wakes up early for work, is particularly glad to see the new white police car at the curb.
“Thank your chief for me for letting you bring your car home,” she said the other day. “I feel so safe when I get up to go to work. Now please keep it in front of my house."
Across the street, my buddies also are pleased when the cruiser is near their driveway. Local block clubs have asked me to park on their streets occasionally.
The vehicle is a 2004 Crown Victoria that was upgraded at Metrotech Automotive Group in Corktown with new paint and graphics at a cost of about $2,500.
At a media event that I participated in with Chief Craig to launch the Neighborhood Police Officer take-home vehicle initiative, he said: "We work with our community; we make relationships. And this is just another step in the right direction."
By December, the department expects as many as 20 Crown Vics vehicles from 2004 and 2005 to be assigned the way mine is. "I thought we had these new cars coming in, so why not give [the old ones] to officers who live in the city of Detroit," news reports quote the chief as saying.
Later that day later at my local Walgreens, I was approached by several residents who had seen the TV coverage. “Are you our neighborhood police officer,” they asked. They wanted to take a picture with their new community squad car.
One man kindly told me: “Detroit is nothing like Baltimore or Ferguson. We are good with our police in Detroit."
A lot of changes are happening in this city and I believe folks will come back to Detroit. I’m confident about safer streets in my beautiful city, from downtown to the neighborhoods.
Detroit is my home. Blessings to all who occupy it. God's favor to those who stayed and kept Detroit strong.
I love my city. I am proud to represent Detroit.
Guidance for young Detroiters
April 23:
Today I was blessed to attend Westside Christian Academy and speak to the youths about how to conduct themselves when encountering the police.
This is one of the last private Christian schools around. About three dozen of the students in the room once attended Detroit Public Schools.
I advised them to obey requests, keep hands visible and not bolt if stopped by officers.
The most valuable part of my lesson was sharing the wrongs and rights from my life, Yes I was once young and made stupid decisions. I had to experience rebellion between 16 and 19. I was hanging, I refused to go to church, but my mother kept praying for me.
I later accepted Christ in my life, joined the Army and then the police department. One of the proudest days in my life was graduation from the Detroit Police Academy in 1996.
Training instructor Kristy Cross stayed on me. She was no joke and the best trainer DPD ever had. My sergeant was Roy McCalister. These two refused to let me fail and made me a leader. Things they taught me 19 years ago I still value.
That's why I stand today proud of being a Detroit Police Officer. It's the best job I have ever had and I am glad I have the heart to go into the community and help save lives.
Police are keepers of the peace.
"It's the best job I have ever had," says Army veteran Baron Coleman, a Detroit police officer since 1996.
‘I would rather save lives’
March 27, 2015:
Today turned out to be very rewarding, I was called out, along with my partner, to educate the young black men and women in the community on how to conduct themselves when they encounter the police.
Amid national news about recent interactions with the police, this is a hot topic. Maybe one day this topic will become unnecessary -- but as it stands today, we need to do whatever it takes to save lives, I would rather save lives instead of taking one.
When it comes to training, it’s essential for the officers to be well-trained as well the citizens.
I stressed the importance of leaving hands visible, attitudes respectful and doing as requested. We can feel uneasy during street encounters, too, I told them frankly to explain their role in keeping things chill.
I thank God for giving me the knowledge to be able to educate those who are willing to listen. Tonight's crowd was very attentive.
Detroit Police are working in the community to keep the people safe -- that's what's up.
Earlier in this series:
Police Diary: A Blocked Getaway, A ‘Straight-Up Gangster’ Pit Bull, Feb. 7
