I urge all Kent residents to take a good look at Prop A. It is needed with the growth.
Supporting our police and its infrastructure is paramount to creating healthy, thriving communities.
Our police department is engaging in community policing, which is changing the job of police officers and hopefully changing how our community members view our police. They are also trying to have our police reflect the image of our diverse community.
Personally, as director of the Kent East Hill Boxing Club (KEHBC), I have witnessed how an off-duty officer came in and worked out with our kids. The officer engaged them, building a relationship. It has even helped the police on a call to cool down a situation. An officer got out of a car in uniform and the youths recognized him on a whole different level of engagement.
Whether reading to pre-schoolers or working out in an East Hill gym with youth engaging in amateur boxing, community policing works.
Whenever I have approached Chief Ken Thomas, he has asked how can he help or how can we find a way to make it work.
With that attitude permeating from the top, our police are doing a good job. They deserve the community to support them and the infrastructure to do the job right.
– Leslie Kae Hamada, KEHBC executive director
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