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The Florence Police Department opened its doors and lines of communication with its media partners on Thursday.
Florence Police Public Information Officer Joshua Meza says that in times of crisis, having the public's trust is crucial—which is why events like this are so important.
When it comes to policing, Florence Police Chief Mike Holt says it all comes down to one thing:
“Everything that we do as police or city officials, it’s about relationships,†said Holt.
While building these relationships, Holt says the event was also a learning experience for both the department and the media.
“I like that we were able to learn from each other, kind of the expectations on both sides of the fence. I think it's just going to help us going forward,†added Holt.
Holt says strong communication isn’t the only goal for the department moving forward.
“Working toward being more diverse—that's one of the goals I had coming in, and it still is today,†Holt said. “We’ve taken some specific measures and made some improvements in those areas. I’m really excited about some recruitment efforts we’re doing as we speak. We’ll see the fruits of those in the next two weeks.â€
Over the next year, technology will also become a big focus for the department.
“We’re able to use drones for things that—I’ll just be honest with you—I never imagined using a drone for. I was very shortsighted in my thinking on that. But our staff and the people who work here are able to get the most out of that technology,†said Holt.
He says they hope to continue holding this event every year.
