New Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel Pratt put words into action Wednesday, meeting and greeting with citizens at a hardware store to hear their concerns while stirring up good vibes over a cup of java.
When Noel Pratt was sworn in back in May, she made a promise to make her law enforcement team a positive presence in the City of Miami Gardens and to be responsive to their concerns. She is the department’s first African-American woman to hold the post.
“A way of building a partnership with the community; it’s a way of them coming out meeting me if they don’t know me, seeing what this department is about,” said Chief Noel Pratt.
One goal would be to avoid police confrontations that leave residents questioning the actions of the police – such as the 2015 shooting death of Javall Hall, which happened before Chief Noel Pratt took office.
“I hold my personnel accountable and I’m also accountable to my own self,” said the police chief.
Chief Noel Pratt plans to hire more police officer, provide better training and institute more of the kind of community policing and interaction with the public that happened Wednesday.
And, the chief didn’t come alone for the latest installment of her “Listening Tour.” Fellow officers she leads also turned out to mix and mingle and share what they hope is a new spirit of greater community cooperation.
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“All of my officers should be engaged with people community besides the normal handling calls they should be engaged with people in the community,” Chief Noel Pratt said.
