Arlington, TX: A Community Policing Story Arlington, TX - A Community Policing Story | Page 9

Introduction
The film Arlington, TX: A Community Policing Story, which runs for 28 minutes, examines
the challenges of policing in the 21st century, particularly at a time when the public has been
increasingly examining and challenging the fraught—and sometimes tumultuous—relationshi p
between law enforcement and communities of color.
The film follows the Arlington Police Department as it navigates a series of widely publicized
and profoundly challenging tragedies: the gang-related homicide of 18-year-old Carl Wilson, 1
the death of 19-year-old Christian Taylor in an officer-involved shooting, 2 and the deaths of
five officers ambushed in the neighboring city of Dallas, Texas. 3 Arlington Chief Will Johnson
emphasizes the perennial importance
of clear-eyed, organizational leadership
The police and community are very
during this time of national introspection
in which “the American people are
familiar with one another. You can talk
renegotiating the social contract [of] what
it means to police in [our country].” The
to any of these residents, and they’ll
film identifies these present-day tragedies,
compounded by historical circumstances,
tell you who their beat officer is, who
as an opportunity rather than a roadblock
for law enforcement leaders, criminal
their sergeant is, who they call.”
justice practitioners, academic researchers,
and community advocates around the
— Deputy Chief LaTesha Watson
country to challenge and subsequently
Arlington Police Department
reimagine the landscape of the criminal
justice system—especially at times of
widespread public scrutiny.
“
As a key element of this reimagining, trust building between law enforcement agencies and the
communities they are sworn to serve remains not only a fundamental principle of community-
oriented policing but also a cornerstone for crisis management in the 21st century. Indeed, as
Chief Johnson states, “that basic relational bridge is the glue that keeps communities together
when they’re dealing with circumstances that nobody wants to go through.” This perspective
and the Arlington Police Department’s community policing initiatives, particularly its
coordination of National Night Out and its Mentoring Arlington Youth (MAY) Program,
1. Ryan Osborne, “Killer of Arlington Martin Football Player Gets 30 Years,” Star-Telegram, February 19, 2016,
http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article61323007.html.
2. Patrick McGee and Manny Fernandez, “Arlington, Tex., Officer is Fired in Fatal Shooting of Christian Taylor,”
New York Times, April 11, 2015, https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/12/us/arlington-tex-officer-is-fired-in-fatal-shooting-
of-christian-taylor.html.
3. “Sniper Ambush Kills 5 Officers, Injures 7 in Dallas Following Peaceful Protest,” NBC 5, July 7, 2016,
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Protests-in-Dallas-Over-Alton-Sterling-Death-385784431.html.
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