Dublin law enforcement host round table with community members

DUBLIN, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Keeping communication open between officers and the public is a priority for Dublin Chief of Police Tim Chatman.

“The people get to know the officers and the officers get to know these people,” he said. “With that, that helps to bring about the change that you’re expecting to have in our community, helps to bring about transparency and help build the trust again,” he continued.

That’s why he and other law enforcement leaders decided to co-host a discussion with the Young Professionals of Dublin-Laurens County.

“We wanted to have this event so that members of our community could come and find out what our law enforcement are working on as far as the community,” said Young Professionals President Meg Greer.

They’re working on new initiatives like the textable tip line Dublin Police launched for residents who can’t contact them by a call.

“We have been in operation now for about 3 weeks we’ve received an abundance of information that will blow your mind, several arrests that have been made and we’re excited about the possibilities,” said Chatman.

But more exciting than any of those possibilities, Greer says is the reality of Dublin’s community forming a stronger relationship with law enforcement.

“We feel like if we can better engage our citizens, they can be better community members,” she said.

Chatman says he wants community members to understand their role in ‘community policing’.

“Community policing is a partnership between police and our citizens not just in a way of conversation but in a way of action,” he said.

He wants to see both residents and officers working together to keep the Dublin city streets safer.