With the election of the new mayor of Washington D.C., people expect there will be many positive changes made in our social institutions, affecting the poor and disadvantaged people in this city. One area that may change as a result of this new political structure is police-community relations.

Already this is apparent with the appointment of Washington, D.C.’s first female Chief of Police, Cathy L. Lanier, which indicates that the department may be headed in a new direction. I personally had some indication of possible improved relations between the police and the community through a recent experience I had at the Police Department Training Academy.

In mid-January I had the opportunity to participate in a training exercise with cadets for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless has an agreement with the MPD to conduct a sensitivity training course with each group of new recruits at the Police Academy in Southwest.

Consider the idea of twenty-five or thirty potential police officers with an average age of twenty-one to twenty-five years, all of whom have a very serious attitude about their future careers in law enforcement. They are rough, rugged, and determined individuals about to embark on their life’s quest as police officers. To them, it probably seemed as though this was just another boring class in a long list of courses necessary to graduate.

The materials presented by Ann Marie Stoylemeyer of the Legal Clinic called attention to many of the causes that contribute to homelessness, including information about affordable housing, the minimum wage, the growing teenage or youth homeless population, and the lack of shelter space for the increasing homeless population. The recruits took in the information with a sort of placid attentiveness. Then, Stoylemeyer posed questions which prompted group interaction.

First, she asked, “How many of you know a homeless person?” There was no response from the students. She followed with the question, “How many of you have seen a homeless person?” The entire class raised their hands. Finally, she asked about their perceptions of the persons they encountered and the well-known stereotypes about homeless people. The cadets answered with perceptions of low education, poor hygiene and belligerent attitudes.

At this point, I was given the opportunity to address the cadets. I shared my experience as a person with a middle class background, a stable family and explained what caused my demise into homelessness on the streets of New Jersey and Philadelphia and a shelter in D.C. I also spoke of my continuing struggle to reenter mainstream society, a common challenge for many homeless and previously homeless individuals.

At the conclusion of my explanation, I believe a new sensitivity as to the struggles of the homeless community emerged, and I hope the cadets will incorporate the information they learned into their attitudes and approach to the homeless population.

I don’t believe a great metamorphosis occurred. Rather, our interaction on that day showed the value of the tools of communication and tolerance, which will help those officers serve homeless people in search of a better life and improved self-esteem. I also believe if the tools are properly employed, they will lessen the fear homeless persons have of the police.

Finally, I think this group of cadets will see the poor and homeless members of this community as a salvageable and valuable resource, and share these beliefs with others, creating a more accepting society.