A forum hosted in Calvert County brought together police and community members to discuss their relationship, what’s working, and what can be done to improve it. As reported on Southern Maryland Newspapers Online:

“Promoting Partnership: Law Enforcement and the Community” at the College of Southern Maryland Prince Frederick was a follow-up to a Calvert NAACP town hall forum that last month invited people to share their questions, complaints and suggestions regarding law enforcement.

Those issues — related to how complaints against officers are handled, a perception of African-Americans being targeted or intimidated, diversity training for police, and anxieties about how traffic stops are conducted — were relayed to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office and the Maryland State Police Prince Frederick barrack.

“We know we’re not perfect. We know there’s things we need to do better, and that’s why we’re here tonight,” Sheriff Mike Evans (R) said at the forum. “I think things are pretty good here in Calvert County.”

MSP Lt. Sean Morris said he believes issues dredged up anew recently by officer-involved deaths of black men in Ferguson, Mo., and Baltimore, followed by riots that ravaged those cities, are “deeper” than just discontent between African-Americans and law enforcement officers.

For example, he said, he encourages troopers to make sure they are treating transgender and gay people equitably as well.

For more information read the full article on Southern Maryland Newspapers Online.