California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2017_Spring Magazine.v3 | Page 14
MAKING IT BETTER
By Chief Erik Upson, Benicia Police Department
I
n these challenging times reconnecting with our
communities must be law enforcement agencies’
top priority. Unfortunately, our youth are growing
up surrounded by negative messages about law
enforcement – messages reinforcing stereotypes that put
the future of our communities’ safety at risk. We tend to
spend a great deal of time trying to connect with adults and
teenagers, but perhaps make some assumptions about our
younger community members. Unfortunately, this is the
group most susceptible to the negative messages repeatedly
projected by mass media; the group least in position to
defend themselves from a clear and sustained attempt to
drive a wedge between us. In the summer of 2016, I had
the good fortune to meet a remarkable individual who
has dedicated himself to finding ways to help connect
law enforcement with the community, especially our most
vulnerable population. His name is Andre Lewis.
The amount of positivity that radiates from Andre
is difficult to convey in writing. He has an exceptional
resume including graduating from the U.S. Air Force
Academy, flying as a pilot for FedEx and creating his own
literary company. However, his greatest achievement can
be seen in the three amazing daughters he has raised who
are leaders in their own right. Andre has dedicated himself
to a very unique format for connecting police with youth
through children’s literature. Andre, a Benicia resident,
approached me with an idea for a children’s picture
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book that would help reinforce positive messages about
developing character and responsibility, recognizing that
police officers are there for them and are always available
in times of need, and improving literacy among our low-
income families.
The book, titled Making It Better in Our Community,
takes kids through a positive story of a boy rising above
peer pressure to do the right thing while connecting with
a local officer who helps guide him on a path to self-
awareness, self-confidence, and ultimately learning to
stand on his own. The book is generally targeted toward
second through fourth graders.
Perhaps as important as the book is the method of
delivery. The books are issued to officers and placed
in every one of our patrol cars. Additionally, there is a
stack of books available at the station. We kicked off our
partnership with Andre and his book with a reading at the
Benicia Public Library, conducted by myself and my two
School Resource Officers. The idea is that every kid who is
read the book by an officer gets to keep a copy of the book,