BY THE EDITORIAL BOARD APRIL 14, 2017 04:43 PM
Tattered relations between police and disaffected communities to not yield to quick fixes, certainly not simplistic soft-drink commericials and, no, not to a grilled-hotdog lunch.
But have no doubt that the Durham Police Officers who fired up a grill at McDougald Terrace Tuesday made a lot more progress in breaking down barriers with that community than Pepsi did with its much-maligned television commercial. It’s the kind of on-the-ground, sweat-in-the game effort that can’t help but make a difference.
Take the reaction of Jamaya Currie, 12, who acknowledged she generally is scared when she sees police officers. Tuesday, she watched officers cook lunch and had a different view.
“It shows they are nice and stuff,” she said. “And they are not here to hurt you.”
For their instilling that insight one child at a time — and for all their service — District 4 leader Capt. Daniel Edwards and all the officers who served that lunch have earned this week’s Durham Grit Award.