Communities Working Together: Justice, Unity and Peace

With the continued violence against unarmed black men and women, and recent attacks on police officers across the nation, Fairfax County is inviting residents, public officials and law enforcement to engage in important and difficult conversations in order to listen and learn from one another.

To address concerns within our community, Fairfax County’s Communities of Trust Committee (COTC) will host a Town Hall Meeting with the theme Communities Working Together: Justice, Unity and Peace. This event will be an opportunity to share and discuss Fairfax County public safety initiatives, listen and respond to concerns from local residents, and discuss suggestions for growth and improvements in the area of community policing. At this forum, Police officers will talk about what it is like working on the street, and residents will discuss their encounters with police. Communities Working Together will also engage the audience to learn about their roles and responsibilities in keeping our neighborhoods safe and enhancing trust within the community. Federal, state and local leaders plan to attend.

Speakers:

Chairman Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Braddock District Supervisor John Cook, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors

Panelists:

Chief Ed Roessler, Fairfax County Police Department

Giulio Arseni, Supervisory Special Agent, FBI Civil Rights Division

Hilary Shelton, NAACP Washington Bureau Director and Senior Vice President for Advocacy

Claire Gastañaga, Virginia American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Executive Director

Pastor Milton Harding, Centreville Baptist Church

Background:

Communities of Trust Committee (COTC), a diverse committee of residents, community leaders and public safety representatives, was established by Chairman Sharon Bulova in the aftermath of events in Ferguson, Missouri. COTC members focus on strengthening and building positive relations between public safety agencies and the communities they serve, with special emphasis on law enforcement, to advance collaboration, partnerships and outreach. Members bring issues and concerns from their respective communities to the table and discuss possible resolutions and implementation strategies. COTC organizes community forums throughout the county to facilitate interactive discussions and engagement with public safety officials and the community. They also host community Public Safety Days focused on building positive relationships between children and teens and the men and women in uniform from the Police Department, Fire & Rescue Department, Sheriff’s Office and Federal Bureau of Investigation. So far, COTC has held four community forums and three Public Safety Days. Communities of Trust is chaired by Shirley Ginwright, President of the Fairfax County NAACP. Learn more about Communities of Trust at www.communitiesoftrust.com and on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and NewsCenter.