GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — After a year of public meetings, community leaders recognize there has been progress in building trust between the Grand Rapids Police Department and city residents, but they say more work needs to be done.
"I would say that they're making progress, but I still feel that they need to have more transparency," community activist Sonia Riley told 24 Hour News 8 Friday.
In the last six months, she helped survey roughly 1,500 households about the relationship between GRPD and the people it serves.
"The consensus is that (people) feel that the police aren't present where they need to be present," Riley explained. "I believe the community has respect — they just don't want their children arrested or their sons being in danger by just going to the grocery store or being questioned because they drive a certain vehicle and live in a certain neighborhood."
The Grand Rapids Association of Pastors has also been involved in getting the pulse of the community and recently took the step of meeting with the union for Grand Rapids officers.
FULL STORY: WOOD TV