Baltimore Police build relationships with students through community policing strategy

Baltimore Police (BPD) asserts that community policing is one of their top priorities, especially with it being one of the sections under the city's consent decree created in the wake of Freddie Gray's death.

Part of BPD's community policing strategy is engaging youth, and WJZ had the chance to see it in action at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, also called Mervo. 

Baltimore Police use art to bridge the gap

Just as the paints are mixed, students in Sia Kyriakakos' art class sit side-by-side with Baltimore Police officers. 

When WJZ visited them in April, everyone was really comfortable with one another. But it took time to get there. 

"I thought something happened because why would my class be full of three, four police officers talking to my teacher," Mervo senior Saharah Sinkler recalled. 

The officers have been in the art class for about a month and a half. Mervo senior Mikea Mack said she and her classmates, at first, had trouble letting go of their past interactions with police. 

"We have had positive [interactions], but mostly, the negative takes over the positive. You have good officers, but you have the negative that's still there doing what they're doing," Mack said. 

Kyriakakos said Major Joanne Wallace, who serves in BPD's northeast district, approached her with the idea to create a mural with her students. 

Kyriakakos said it was an easy decision. 

"I had tried to do it on my own accord, but it was kinda hitting a brick wall at the time," she said. 

The officers and students are now working on two pieces that will eventually be put up in the northeast district police station by the end of the month. 

They'll be put up in the lobby so everyone can see. 

"It's up to us as the police to change that dynamic in that they can interact with us," Wallace said. "We're people, we have fun." 

Moving forward with community policing in Baltimore

In a sit-down interview with WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren, Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said he's seen the value of interactions like what's happening at Mervo. 

"All the kids want is somebody to reach out to them, work with them," Worley said. "A lot of these young men and women don't have a lot of chances in life. So, if we can, we can work with [these] men and women, because they're the future of this city."

Wallace is planning more collaborations like this throughout her district, but her hope is to go citywide. 

"We'll just find different activities and different programs where we can interact with the kids," Wallace said. 

Sinkler said it has made an impact on her and sees the effort as a step forward. 

"Even if it doesn't change someone's view on the police, I feel like when they look at [our artwork and think of one nice thing]... that's a win in my book," she said.