Police Division to Train in Conflict Resolution
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LOS ANGELES — Seeking to advance community policing, a pair of nonprofit organizations has teamed up with the Los Angeles Police Department to teach officers and residents in the Newton Division how to improve their communication skills.
The Neighbors in Dialogue program will train up to 250 residents and police in conflict resolution and mediation.
The National Conference on Community and Justice received a $58,000 grant from the California Community Foundation to lead the six-month pilot program.
Police Capt. John Mutz, who heads the Newton Division, asked the conference several months ago for help in building a better relationship with the racially and culturally diverse population his officers serve. Newton Division, which is one of the LAPD’s busiest stations, covers an 11-square-mile area in South-Central Los Angeles where many different languages are spoken and which 85 gangs claim as their turf.
Organizers said they hope the program, if successful in the Newton Division, will be embraced by other divisions in the future.
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