Peaceful Arrest: Police, Community Members Emphasize Need For Better Relationship To Avoid Violent Interactions
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The Sacramento Police Department released a video of a peaceful conclusion to a situation between officers and a man with a gun Friday. They say it's been the focus of recent training to resolve these incidents without violence.
The video shows a car pulled over on Northgate Boulevard back on February 2 for expired tags. The focus of the video is on the passenger of the car, a man who police say first lied about his name and age. The man finally admits he has a gun and police get him out of the car and into handcuffs quickly before removing a huge firearm from his waistband. Police credit the calm demeanor of both their officers and the suspect for the peaceful outcome.
"The professionalisms of the officers was phenomenal," said Sgt. Vance Chandler with the Sacramento Police Department. "They stayed very calm and they did not overreact to what they learned of the suspect being armed with a firearm."
29-year-old Xeryus Davis was arrested with no violence. He was booked and charged as a felon in possession of a firearm. Police also credit his willingness to cooperate. They say scenarios like these between officers and armed suspects has been a major focus of current training.
"We look at every incident. And through every incident we always find ways to improve and evolve as a police department," Chandler said
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Mervin Brookins runs the Brother to Brother program.
"It's just a step in the right direction," Brookins said
His group mentors local youth to keep them out of trouble and on the right path. He says interacting with police officers is something they talk about a lot.
"Well, the first thing we try and do is to keep them from being in that situation. Secondly, just be truthful. Be calm, be truthful, don't exacerbate the situation, and hopefully all parties come home safe," he said.
Brookins says the key is for police officers and people in the community to better understand one another.
"For some reason when we have this discussion, it's either us versus them, and I don't believe that should necessarily be true," he said.
And after meeting with Sacramento Police Chief Daniel Hahn and others, Brookins says slowly but surely, it's happening.
"And building a healthy relationship with Sac PD doesn't mean not holding them accountable. We have to be accountable on both ends, the Sacramento Police Department as well as community members. And if we do that, we can build healthy relationships on both sides," he said.
Police also released statistics showing a decline in shootings and homicides over the past three years:
Shooting Reports:
2016: 601
2017: 579
2018: 533
Homicide rate:
2016: 41
2017: 39
2018: 36
The President of Sacramento Black Lives Matter, Tanya Faison, released the following statement in response to the police video:
"I think police decided to make a good decision when they were able to arrest a Black man who was armed. It doesn't necessarily take training to act with humanity. I think the Sacramento Police Department is being very strategic in making sure the public sees them doing something right for once, in anticipation of the reaction of the Stephon Clark announcement."