In a police department where one in three patrol officers is African-American, the sight of an all-white Academy class within the SLPD got my attention, simply because it does not represent the makeup of either the department or the city.
Future police officers are taught in the Academy that their job is to be seen as “gender neutral,” meaning that the sex of the officer is irrelevant when it comes to performing the duties of the job. Needless to say, the job should also be seen as “race neutral,” with an emphasis on cultural pluralism not just in terms of black and white, but among the many nationalities that reside in the city of St. Louis.
I stand ready to assist the Ethical Society of Police Officers and Chief Mokwa in any way that will help bring unity, harmony and productivity to the St. Louis Police Department and the city it serves.
Cedric Hendrix
Chief Liaison Officer
St. Louis Police Officers Association