Bradley reemphasizes community policing in city

New Assistant Chief of Police wants to reconnect WMPD with the citizens it serves

news@theeveningtimes.com New West Memphis Assistant Police Chief Brent Bradley recommitted to community policing and Community Outreach Coordinator Tawana Bailey said state-wide recognition for two initiatives was on the way. The news came to police commissioners during their regular January meeting.

According to Bradley, the VCSU will return as the face of the department in the community by working hand and glove with Bailey.

“When we initially designed this unit, it was a community outreach unit, not a street crime unit,” said Bradley. “They were to get to know the kids on a first name basis. As the kids grow up, they can put a face to an officer’s name.

They do a lot of the Park and Walk Initiative and work with Tawana Bailey in community outreach.”

Going door to door, mixing with families and shooting hoops in the street and even getting to know pets paid off with accolades.

Bailey said the Arkansas Municipal League was set to recognize West Memphis in state-wide meetings as the number one leader in two categories.

The city landed first place for Trend Setting in Public Safety for its practice in the ‘Park and Walk Initiative’.

The department started the outreach before the pandemic with an effort in the Imperial Homes and again held a walk this summer in Jackson Heights.

“The police department will be recognized for this and some other things they have done in the community from 2018 to date,” said Bailey.

The city will also take home the top trophy as the volunteer community of the year for outreach efforts during the Coronavirus onslaught. Bailey credited city employees, non-profit organizations and citizens for their outstanding efforts to distribute protective gear and food during the pandemic.

“We had EMS going out, organizations helped with food, officers put food at doors, we had drivethrough food distributions, whatever the efforts it added up to West Memphis as volunteer city of the year for 2021,” said Bailey. Bradley announced reinvesting in its heartwarming Christmastime outreach efforts. He sported a healthy beard – a symbolic notice of changes in the department.

“We reinstated our Shop with a Cop initiative,” said Bradley. “There was a lot of talk after Chief Pope did away with that and mandated clean-shaven faces.

We’ve done it for six years. There is no way we could do away with that and leave kids hanging on to hopes at Christmastime.

There is no better way to get money into the police foundation than allowing officers to grow beards for the money. It boosts the morale of the patrol. A lot of other departments around the mid-south have allowed beards now. There is no reason to move backwards on beards. The citizens like them. We’ve had no complaints.”

Photo by John Rech