ORM praise report

In a GCI Weekly Update announcement last December, it was noted that Curtis May, who directs the Office of Reconciliation and Spiritual Mediation, would participate this January in the Reconciliation and Police Legitimacy Summit conducted by COPS (the Community Oriented Policing Services office) of the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, DC. That summit occurred last week and here is Curtis’ praise report:

It was a blast! And I could feel your prayers throughout the two days.

On Tuesday, I conducted a two hour session with predominately African Americans who work in the Community Oriented Policing Office (COPS). We discussed issues of mutual concern, discussing principles of reconciliation, including some overarching steps toward a solution. We also talked about legacies of the past that can and do influence us today and what we can do about them.

On Wednesday, we had an eight hour conference with leaders in law enforcement: police chiefs, reconciliation leaders, community development leaders and ranking officials in the COPS Department. Other prominent leaders included Gary McCarthy (Chicago Superintendent of Police and National Safe Cities Network Director) and David Kennedy (Director of Criminal Law at John Jay College).

Director Bernard Melekian took my son Brad and me out to dinner Wednesday night along with New Haven Connecticut Chief Dean Esserman. Mr. Melekian said he heard a lot of positive feedback and that, “you started this” referring to ORM’s work with the Pasadena Police Department over the past few years, which included fellow GCI members like the Sniffens, Raul Ramos and others. I received positive feedback from many others. I was surprised that my references to biblical principles were so well received.