APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — To improve police-community interaction, the Appleton Police Department says it has established a Police Chief’s Community Advisory Board.
The board will act as a resource for the chief of police in the chief’s formation of strategies, development of community policing concepts and programs, and to help increase public awareness about the activities of the agency.
The rotating membership of the board will consist of at least 15, but not more than 25, volunteer citizens from throughout the community. The majority will be adults but may also include high school students who represent a range of interests and experiences. Efforts will be made to select members from diverse backgrounds, including business, education, non-profit, public relations, faith community, government and more.
Chief Todd Thomas said, “We have had community boards in the past, usually to address a specific topic or project, but this board will be on-going. It will give community members an important role in helping us define what we do. We are very interested in hearing from people who may not be connected to advocacy groups and may not feel like their voices have been heard, and from the younger members of our community who want to be involved in improving our community.”
Police are creating the process for community members to submit an application to be on the board and will be announced on the department’s Facebook page and on the city’s website when it’s available.
