The Roanoke City Sheriff’s Office will officially kick off its Summer Transparency Tour starting Tuesday, June 10th. The tour -which was the brainchild of Sheriff Antonio Hash - is designed to bring the Sheriff’s Office directly into Roanoke’s neighborhoods.
It will offer residents the opportunity to engage with staff, learn more about agency operations, and ask questions in an open and welcoming environment.
Lieutenant Colonel John Williams explained that the goal is to talk to as many neighbors and residents as possible.
“As many people as we can to know who we are, what we do and how we are different from every other police department,” Lt. Colonel Williams said. [Also] what services we provide, what Sheriff [Antonio] Hash and what his vision is all about.”
Every Tuesday, the Sheriff’s Office will visit a different part of the city, hosting sessions discussing a range of topics, such as:
- The responsibilities and functions of the Sheriff’s Office
- New laws impacting local communities
- Programs and services offered through the agency
- How to navigate the correctional system and support incarcerated loved ones
Will Nylander was one such citizen who offered up some questions if he were to encounter the Sheriff’s Office during the Tour.
“I think the one thing I could ask is just more transparency on the issues of police brutality and maybe body cam disclosure,” Nylander said. “Whatever is asked and for it to feel more like equality between citizens and police.”
Lt. Colonel Williams was willing to answer questions on these topics and expected that questions will be answered on a case-by-case basis.
“It would really be based off what the exact question would be, there is no general statement that you can say on police brutality... It’s [also] a way for us to get out and see people, let them see us, maybe take their guard down and let them realize that we are people too, just like them.”
Residents such as Debbie Young were optimistic that this Tour would have a positive impact across the board.
“We see the sheriff’s department so less frequently,” Young said. “That should they be in the neighborhoods doing a meet and greet, [I think] that it will go over well.”
The tour will take place every Tuesday from June 10th through September 30th. Tomorrow’s meeting will be held at the Raleigh Court Library in the Community Room at 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM.
