Winona Race Panel

Winona's Sheriff Department takes on some extra training on dealing with race relations.

Thank you for joining us..

It's a conversation that continues to be a hot topic across the country// race relations between law- enforcement and the community.

One area police department is doing some extra training to get in front of the issue..

Our quentin smith speaks with the police chief and joins us live in the studio with more on what his force hopes to gain from this.

Aundrea, the city of winona is fairly diverse.... and the police chief wants his officers to learn and know how to deal with people of all races and backgrounds in the community... that's why this week.... the entire department is getting training on racial diversity... given everything going on in today's climate, the chief says this is the ideal time to have this conversation.

Chief tommy bibbs has been in law enforcement for nearly three decades, but he's been a resident of winona all his life.... improving the quality of life is essential to him...and so is improving race relations within his department and hometown... "a police officer can't do his job well by having pre- conceived images or thoughts of a certain group of people simply because of what he's heard, seen in the media, or just from dealing with one group of people, everybody is not like that.

That's why you have to understand who you're dealing with."

One way the chief is helping his department with this process is having them go through a program on racial diversification... they're receiving in depth lessons how on to prevent stereotyping they're receiving in depth lessons how on to prevent stereotyping while patrolling the community... not being biased, and how to deal with someone who doesn't look like them..

"just because a person is wearing a turban doesn't make them a terrorist.

Everybody doesn't think the same way, or everybody wasn't brought up the same way, i want them to understand who you're dealing with and have empathy for the person you're dealing with."

" things like this help our officers to be better officers and be better members of the community."

According to the u.s. census... winona is made up of roughly 50 percent african americans, and roughly 43 percent caucasians.... asians..... and two or more races make up a combined 7 percent of the city's demographics mayor jerry flowers is also a long time winona resident.

He says city nor police department have had problems when it comes to race relations... both he and bibbs believe this program will go a long way helping things remain that way.

" it just means a lot to understand the other person, not just look at them and think what you think.

Talk with them, get to know them, and understand where that person is coming from, also that person can understand where i'm coming from."