The acting mayor of Holyoke, Massachusetts, has announced he's creating a new Community Police Relations Board.
Acting Mayor Terry Murphy said he wants to make the public feel more comfortable with the police and make sure officers are responding in an effective and safe manner.
The board will consist of seven community and three of the police force.
"If we can have respectful dialogue, and share our differences, and then try to find what the common ground is, and how to make things a little better — that's my goal," Murphy said.
Murphy's predecessor, Alex Morse, established a Citizen Police Advisory Committee with no police representation. It's since been disbanded.
According to reporting by
The Daily Hampshire Gazette,
that committee ran into problems, including a lack of resources.
Murphy said he's already heard from several community who want to serve on the new board. He's hoping to hold the first meeting in mid-July.
