SEPTA Transit Police Chief: “People Are Dissatisfied With My Profession.”

A panelist at Philly After Ferguson, Chief Thomas Nestel wants to be engaged in finding solutions to the tension between police and community.

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When I received the invitation to attend and speak at the Philly After Ferguson town hall – co-organized by Techbook Online and hosted at Catalyst for Change Church – I was honored to represent my department in a frank discussion about policing and the need for change.

The series of events that has led to protests throughout our country, and especially in our city, have sent a clear message that people are dissatisfied with my profession.

I have attended and participated in a variety of forums, not because I have the answers, but because I want to learn.

I want to engage in conversation, the exchange of ideas and the formulation of solutions. I want to be a part of the process to restore trust in policing.

While anger and frustration have led some to shun the police and treat us as if we can’t be a part of the solution, I know that this region’s police executives want to be involved. Proof of that exists in the fact that Philadelphia Police Commissioner, Mr. Charles Ramsey, chairs the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing.

His executive staff: Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Richard Ross and Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Kevin Bethel, have attended multiple forums where spirited discussions have occurred.

The Philadelphia Police Department, in my opinion, has become the model for the nation in policing protests. Under Commissioner Ramsey’s leadership, protesters are protected and provided safe routes of travel, regardless of whether a permit was obtained; elements of change are already occurring.

I don’t have the answers, but what I do have is a willingness and desire to foster change. My appearance at community meetings like Philly After Ferguson occurs to help encourage discussion and an exchange of ideas.

Some have asked me why I would submit myself to what they perceive as verbal abuse and the ire of a community. The answer is simple: I want the police to have the trust of the people that we serve, but that will take some work.

It’s a problem that we can begin to repair through communication, the development of relationships and mutual respect.

The gap that exists between the police and the community can be fixed in a variety of ways; I just hope that it is done collaboratively … I’m ready to be a part of that process.

Thanks for reading!