The goal of this symposium is to engage in productive dialogue by discussing the unique perceptions toward police-Black community relations through the lenses of a police officer, Black Lives Matter member, family science and criminology scholars. Engaging in discussions pertaining to the impact of police brutality on the lives of various Black families and the professional responsibilities of family researchers, educators, and practitioners who work with them through various outlets. In achieving this effort, we propose a symposium that brings police and family professionals together to discuss how to improve community-police relations.

Objectives

1. Discuss strategies that family practitioners and academics can utilize to improve police-community relations 2. To identify barriers that police officers encounter in Black communities that interfere with their relationship with Black families 3. To identify barriers that family practitioners and academics face in working with Black families whom are fearful of the police in their neighborhoods