By Donald Norton

Last Wednesday evening Police Chief David Fallon, along with several of his officers and patrolmen, met with a group of about 30 kids from Teen Empowerment to walk and talk to neighbors and residents.

Accompanying them and assisting was Ward 3 Alderman Bob McWatters. Both Chief Fallon and Alderman McWatters expressed how important opening communications and working together is in the community.

The walk started off from the Morse-Kelley Park in Spring Hill and proceeded down to Somerville Avenue, to Conway Park, up Central and back to Morse-Kelley. On their way, they asked residents to answer a survey.

The Police Department and the Center for Teen Empowerment brings together police, youth, and community members in a series of Walking Dialogues over the summer. This initiative aims to make communication between Somerville community members and the police department easily accessible, and strengthen relationships among police, youth, community residents and business owners. With the feedback, they hope to identify actionable steps to address issues and concerns in the Somerville community. The teens all carried a survey and asked anyone they ran into along the way to please answer the questions.

What a great idea, getting the youth and the police together like this. Our Police Department should be congratulated on this unique program they are doing. We saw firsthand how the kids interact with the police on this night. The next Walking Dialogue is scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, meeting at Grimmons Park in the Ten Hills.