Local teens attend session on interacting with police
Retired Durham Deputy Police Chief BJ Council speaks to local teens about interacting with police on Friday. Photo by Catherine Hardee / Neuse News
Dozens of teens and adults got to satisfy their sweet tooth and learn some important lessons about interactions with law enforcement on Friday.
The event, held at Gordon Street Christian Church, was a collaboration between the Lenoir County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, the Kinston Police Department, Eastpointe and the 8th District Guardian Ad Litem program.
It featured an ice cream social with a sundae bar that allowed attendees to create a decadent treat with a variety of toppings. It also featured a presentation from retired Durham Deputy Police Chief BJ Council titled “Five-O and You,” which dealt with the do’s and don’ts of encounters with police officers.
Kinston Mayor Don Hardy gets frisked for a role-playing exercise during Friday’s event Photo by Catherine Hardee / Neuse News
Council said she hoped the teens who attended came away knowing both their rights and their responsibilities if dealing with law enforcement.
She emphasized to the audience that you have the right to refuse a search and to not answer questions beyond your name, but that you also have a responsibility to keep calm and comply with an officer’s instructions.
A mantra she encouraged teens to remember is: “Comply, then complain.”
Even if you feel an officer is being unprofessional or unfair, she said, comply with their instructions at the time, and file a complaint with the department after the fact.
“I hope the kids who attended today came away with a different perspective on law enforcement,” Council said.
Colleen Kosinski, Guardian ad Litem District Administrator, said she had seen Council’s presentation before, and thought kids in this area could benefit from it. She was very pleased by the turnout for the event, and said there were kids from Greene, Wayne and Lenoir counties present.
District Court Judge Beth Heath was present, and she said she hopes this event means she will see fewer of the attendees in her courtroom in the future. Too often, she said, minor encounters with law enforcement turn into serious charges for obstruction and resisting arrest that can derail young lives.
Kinston Police Department Chief Alonzo Jaynes said he would follow up with those in attendance who spoke about negative interactions with officers from his department. Jaynes said the department helped sponsor the event because he hopes to help young people in the community.
“We want to invest in our youth, after all they are our future. We care about our community, and we care about our officers, and at the end of the day, we want everyone to go home safe,” Jaynes said.
