A former Rochester Police Chief came to the area on Sunday to talk about recent community policing efforts in the city.
Cedric Alexander was a police chief in Rochester in 2005, and now he heads up public safety in DeKalb County, Georgia.
He’s also president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and recently traveled to Ferguson, Missouri during the riots to help ease the tension between the police and residents.
Alexander does not think Rochester has the kind of problems involving police-community relations that Ferguson has had.
“What you have here in Rochester, you really do have a strong working and conscious leadership here that is invested in making sure that the community and police as they have in the past continue to work together but there’s always opportunity to do more, and I believe that’s what your leadership is trying to do here.”
Alexander praised the new Clergy on Patrol program in Rochester which will see local pastors involved in monthly walking tours with police to help foster a stronger bond between police and the community.
Alexander made his comments at In Christ New Hope Ministry in Henrietta, where Rochester Police set up a table to aid with the upcoming recruitment drive for the RPD.
