After the announcement of a new partnership between Grand Rapids Police and local faith leaders received thousands of angry reactions on social media---the Department said Tuesday ---that most had misunderstood the program’s intention.
The Grand Rapids Police Department had announced on Facebook the relaunch of its Clergy on Patrol program—where a number of local faith leaders from every major religion get trained on how police use force to deescalate a situation.
While police say the idea is to partner with interfaith leaders, build stronger relationships and learn from each other on how best to serve the community in those situations, the Facebook post got skewered as a waste of tax dollars, a violation of the separation of church and state, and senseless.
Sgt. Dan Adams says; those people have missed the mark. The Department is not teaching Priests and Rabbi’s how to use force or fire a taser on their own, rather, they are training clergy to be informed and prepared for the police operations they will observe as they ride along with officers.
"They're going to be out there with us, and they may find themselves in a situation where officers are having to use force, and we just want them to have the background knowledge of how the decisions are being made, and why they are handling the way that they are," Adams said. "If we are going to make positive change in any community in comes with a shared place of understanding."
The GRPD clarified its position Tuesday on Facebook, saying that the negative comments were based on disinformation. The program it states has had success in other communities across the US, while clergy members are not substituting for mental health professionals or neighborhood associations, both of which the GRPD says is actively pursuing partnerships with also.
