New chief emphasizes community interaction

Police officers sweltering in Kevlar vests on a steamy Cape Girardeau afternoon may disagree with their new boss's views on climate control.

"I think one of the worst things that's happened to law enforcement in recent years is air conditioning in cars," said Wes Blair, who city officials announced this week as the new hire for Cape Girardeau's police chief. "You're not getting out and meeting people."

Officers probably don't need to worry that Blair will drain all the Freon out of their cruisers -- after all, as a Texan and a 16-year law enforcement veteran, he understands the perils of summer patrols. But he might ask them to spend more time outside their vehicles, visiting with neighborhood children and building a rapport with residents, especially in high-crime areas.

"When you have these high-concentration areas of crime, you also have a lower level of reporting," Blair said.

One way to increase residents' willingness to call police is to build their trust through an increased presence, he said.

"When you have these areas that have a high concentration of crime, you saturate the area with your officers," Blair said. "You get out and have conversations -- you talk with them. … You recruit them to be eyes and ears for you."

City manager Scott Meyer said Blair's enthusiasm for building relationships between officers and residents made him a good fit for Cape Girardeau.

"His definition of community policing is really getting his police force out in the neighborhoods, in the community," Meyer said. "… That resonated with me as really what we were looking for."

Ideally, Blair would like to eliminate some of the walls -- literal and figurative -- that separate officers from the people they are sworn to protect.

One way to do that is through mentoring programs that give children positive interaction with police, he said.

Another strategy might involve an increased presence at festivals and parades -- not just to keep an eye on the crowd, but to allow residents to learn about police work, ask questions and get to know officers.

"Let them realize, 'These guys are pretty neat guys, and they've got some cool toys they're going to let me look at,'" he said.

Informal interactions also help. For instance, Blair, who describes himself as "horrible at basketball," might stop to shoot a few hoops with teenagers.

"Everybody loves to beat the cop," he said.

Police are most effective when they work in tandem with other community members to increase safety, Blair said.

"I think that's what's so important with a police agency. You see communities where the police are kind of an occupying force, and that's not what a police agency should be. … We're all working together for a common goal to make this a better place," he said.

Even the design of a police station can advance that goal, Blair said.

In Lancaster, Texas, where Blair has served as interim chief of police, when the department outgrew its old digs in a former car dealership, the city built a new public safety facility that included space for local organizations such as crime-watch groups and homeowners' associations to meet.

"They feel like that's their building, not just a fortress," he said. "… I think it forges a good relationship. It's like inviting somebody into your house: If they're welcome in your house, then they'll feel welcome."

Cape Girardeau leaders, who are looking at possibly upgrading local police facilities, have said Blair's experiences with Lancaster's new building were a factor in the decision to hire him.

"I think his experience with that certainly will be valuable, and he'll be bringing that to the table," Meyer said.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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