Law Enforcement meets with community to help bridge the gap

With all that is going on in the world today, sometimes it takes getting together and talking to sort things out, and get everyone on the same page. That was just what the Full Gospel Outreach Program and Sheriff Jack Martin intended to happen when they planned a Town Hall Meeting and Meet and Greet for Saturday, Aug. 6.

Law Enforcement Agencies from around the area were represented at the event, including Morris County, Daingerfield, Naples, Hughes Springs, Northeast Texas Community College, and Longview. The purpose was to give the community an opportunity to get to know various Law Enforcement officials, and allow Law Enforcement to answer questions from the community and clarify some areas where there might have been confusion. The event was portioned into segments based on questions submitted prior to the event. Each segment offered Law Enforcement an opportunity to answer and expound on the original question. There was also an opportunity for those in attendance to ask any other questions they may have had regarding the original question. Segments included traffic stops, handgun laws (both concealed and open carry in vehicles), and how to respond/react when law enforcement comes to your home.

There was a lot of information transferred in a relatively short amount of time. Law Enforcement did their best to explain certain laws and reasons for certain actions that may be taken when a person is stopped. They also did an excellent job of calming fears or concerns for several in attendance with regards to certain situations, especially concerning traffic stops.

The overall feel of the event was that it was a good start. According to Steven Thompson, “We need to get together. Everyone has value. Our community must get to a place where we recognize everyone has value as a member of the community.” Several others, including organizers and law enforcement, reiterated Thompson’s comment, calling for mutual respect, and a gathering together of all entities, including law enforcement, religious, businesses, and the community.