• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Featured
    • Emergency management
      LEADing the way
      Pause before posting
      The importance of breaking encryption
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • Are you mentally ready for retirement?
        LE deaths up in 2020
        Attorney General’s Distinguished Service in Policing Awards
        How does your agency prepare for a mass casualty incident response?
        Paving the road for leadership
    • Labor
      • Retirements up, recruiting down
        Maryland considers repealing officers’ bill of rights
        The fight for diversity
        Team Blue petitions to regulate protests
        Police shoot down CA reform bill
    • Tech
      • Tesla wins savings race
        Pause before posting
        The importance of breaking encryption
        Using technology in the fight against crime
        Drones help law enforcement reach the homeless
    • Training
      • This K-9 is a gym rat at heart!
        Speed versus accuracy
        Flashlights and low-light training
        The art of happiness at work
        Are you training or going through the motions?
    • Policy
      • NYPD changes policy on headwear
        Emergency management
        Pause before posting
        The irony of the defund movement
        Surplus sale
    • Health/Wellness
      • Coping with chronic pain
        Rough day? Let’s talk about it
        The job doesn’t love you back
        Cop Hobbies: Lock picking
        Are you struggling with police identity disorder?
    • Community
      • A special gift for a woman in need
        Father knows best
        A running rematch
        From homeless to hero
        LEADing the way
    • Humor
      • The force is strong with this one
        Dude, where’s my car?
        Dressed to impress
        How to retire angry
        Ousted police chief makes his departure brief — literally
    • We Remember
      • A thread of courage and love
        COVID-19 “very likely” to kill more cops than 9/11
        Always honored, never forgotten
        More space needed at National Memorial
        FBI releases latest LODD stats as attacks on officers persist
  • On the Job
    • Are you mentally ready for retirement?
      LE deaths up in 2020
      Attorney General’s Distinguished Service in Policing Awards
      How does your agency prepare for a mass casualty incident response?
      Paving the road for leadership
  • Labor
    • Retirements up, recruiting down
      Maryland considers repealing officers’ bill of rights
      The fight for diversity
      Team Blue petitions to regulate protests
      Police shoot down CA reform bill
  • Tech
    • Tesla wins savings race
      Pause before posting
      The importance of breaking encryption
      Using technology in the fight against crime
      Drones help law enforcement reach the homeless
  • Training
    • This K-9 is a gym rat at heart!
      Speed versus accuracy
      Flashlights and low-light training
      The art of happiness at work
      Are you training or going through the motions?
  • Policy
    • NYPD changes policy on headwear
      Emergency management
      Pause before posting
      The irony of the defund movement
      Surplus sale
  • Health/Wellness
    • Coping with chronic pain
      Rough day? Let’s talk about it
      The job doesn’t love you back
      Cop Hobbies: Lock picking
      Are you struggling with police identity disorder?
  • Community
    • A special gift for a woman in need
      Father knows best
      A running rematch
      From homeless to hero
      LEADing the way
  • Humor
    • The force is strong with this one
      Dude, where’s my car?
      Dressed to impress
      How to retire angry
      Ousted police chief makes his departure brief — literally
  • We Remember
    • A thread of courage and love
      COVID-19 “very likely” to kill more cops than 9/11
      Always honored, never forgotten
      More space needed at National Memorial
      FBI releases latest LODD stats as attacks on officers persist
  • Jobs and Careers
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

Community

Why community solidarity matters

Law enforcement must not lose focus on building strong relationships with all of our communities

Nick Borges Published October 18, 2020 @ 7:09 pm PDT

Nick Borges

The city of Seaside, located on the central California coast, has a population of about 34,000. This small town once had a reputation for being impacted by gang violence and drug addiction.

As a native of the area, I can say the relationship between the police and the community has not always been one of unity. However, the Seaside Police Department has worked tirelessly to strengthen community trust. We are not perfect, but our outreach has been received with open arms.

Reaching out to the community

Like many law enforcement agencies, our department felt compelled to speak out against the senseless and cruel death of George Floyd. Our audience was our community. I have served nearly 18 years as a law enforcement official, and I wanted the community to know how our police department felt about the conduct of the officers that resulted in Floyd’s death. I wanted to speak to every member of the public and tell them we did not condone the actions of the officers in the case.

I was met with resistance from police colleagues, residents and even close friends. I was told, “Now is not the time. Things are too tense. Give the community space and stay in the police station when there are protests at City Hall.”

I understood the concern of people with this view, but I wholeheartedly disagreed. I was born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula, which encompasses Seaside, and I have family currently living in Seaside. I consider myself part of the community, as do many of the officers at the Seaside P.D.

On June 5, local faith-based leaders held a prayer vigil in front of our police department. Just before the event, several Seaside officers agreed to join me in participating in the vigil. As the vigil began, one of the faith-based leaders called for me to say a few words. I was not expecting to speak, and I was surprised. I was also honored that the police were being given an opportunity to speak in light of all the tension in the country. I could feel this was a moment that many in attendance sought to hear from their police.

In a spontaneous and emotional statement, I told the crowd what I and many of our officers had said they would have done if they were next to Floyd on May 25: “We would’ve stopped it.” The crowd burst into applause and showed obvious gratitude.

Several people approached me after the event and told me they needed to hear that from the police. One person said that they had heard police leaders say they condemn the actions of the officers in the Floyd incident, but to hear other police would have intervened and stopped it meant so much to them.

I shared with the crowd the comments about how many people suggested our officers “lay low” and give people space during such a contentious time. When I said I would not do that because Seaside is my community and we are united, the crowd erupted in cheer once again. The faith-based leaders asked leaders and police officers to join them in prayer and solidarity in front of the police department. This moment was the beginning of a powerful day to come on June 19, also known as Juneteenth.

 

Nick Borges

 

Unity for a brighter future

Several days before June 19, our police department was informed that members of our community would be gathering to celebrate Juneteenth to recognize the abolition of slavery in 1865.

As the officers prepared a safety plan for a typical large gathering, we discussed our role and how celebratory June 19 is for our community and country. We ultimately decided we would attend the event early and ask the organizers what role they would like us to play for the event.

I spoke with a longtime Seaside resident who I will refer to as Ms. Lisa. Ms. Lisa took me by surprise when she asked that the Seaside P.D. accept a large Black Lives Matter banner, during a ceremonial removal of it, so it could be entrusted to the police to have it placed into the Seaside archives through the Art and History Commission.

I was overwhelmed with pride knowing our community was not only including the police in such a meaningful day but taking a stance of unity for a brighter future. Seaside’s mayor joined several community leaders in removing the banner that had been placed above the police department by city officials weeks earlier. Ceremonially, the banner was folded and handed over to me to accept on behalf of the police department.

It was a powerful message that we are united, and we will move forward together. I spoke to the crowd directly from the heart. What came to me was very simple. I told the community I loved every one of them. Seaside officers and I were embraced by the community, reminding all of us we are united. Law enforcement must not lose focus of one of its most fundamental missions: building strong relationships with all of our communities. The national conversations will continue, and we must remember that out of tragedy and struggle, something positive can happen if we allow it to.

Perhaps one of the most profound takeaways I have learned from my community is a basic principle in life: listen, speak from the heart and be open-minded. We can never make changes and unite unless we become vulnerable and listen to those willing to speak. We must be present at this moment and come together as we shape our future.

Nick Borges is a deputy chief with the Seaside Police Department. During his 18-year career in law enforcement, he has served as a patrol officer, field training officer, detective, sergeant, patrol commander, SWAT commander and use-of-force trainer. Borges is a graduate of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) Senior Management Institute for Police (SMIP) and a graduate of the FBI National Academy. Borges is passionate about genuinely strengthening community relationships. 

As seen in the October 2020 issue of American Police Beat magazine.
Don’t miss out on another issue today! Click below:

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Categories: Community

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • Tesla wins savings race
  • Are you mentally ready for retirement?
  • This K-9 is a gym rat at heart!
  • A special gift for a woman in need
  • Speed versus accuracy
  • Coping with chronic pain
  • Retirements up, recruiting down
  • Father knows best
  • A running rematch
  • NYPD changes policy on headwear
Advertise with APB

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Featured
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Humor
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers

Editor’s Picks

Why community solidarity matters

Why community solidarity matters

October 18, 2020

What I should have said to my friend

What I should have said to my friend

September 23, 2020

Top dogs

Top dogs

March 10, 2020

Finding the forgotten fallen

Finding the forgotten fallen

May 08, 2019

Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2021 American Police Beat, Inc. | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close
Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.