ANDREW NIQUETTE: Albany Police Department a model for good relationship with the community

My name is Andrew Niquette, and I was elected as the national delegate representing Georgia’s 2nd Congressional District to the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. This journey has been an incredible experience into the overwhelming life of a politician to say the least, and it showed me both the amazing and not-so-amazing aspects of the political scene.

Throughout my months as an elected official, I’ve been able to meet many high-ranking Democrats and political activists alike, including people like Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (DNC chair), Jeff Weaver (Bernie Sanders’ campaign manager), Sen. Nina Turner (Bernie activist) and Dr. Cornel West (political activist), along with a wide array of others. This election season has been one of the most dramatic of them all, and it highlighted the introduction of the nation’s youth getting involved with politics, including myself at 19 years old.

There have been many issues and platforms that I have addressed as a delegate, and one of them ties in with the city of Albany. On July 18, I had the honor to meet with Police Chief Michael Persley of the Albany Police Department to give him my gratitude, address concerns and get advice from him on how he leads the Albany Police Department.

We spoke on many topics, including how important it is to have officers trained in diversity needs, as well as their tactical training they receive prior to becoming an officer. Because of Chief Persley’s extensive leadership with the Albany Police Department that all began in 1993 when he joined the force, the APD has had an extremely positive impact on the residents and communities of Albany. Time and time again, the APD is seen throughout the community participating in events and calls to action, as well as getting the public educated on police issues.

In the wake of tragedies plaguing the African-American community throughout the United States, it has become more and more of an epidemic that has yet to be solved. It is vital to not only address this issue of racial profiling and police brutality, but to also act to fix it.

While this is a major issue across our nation, we must remember that those unspeakable acts of unjustified murdering of citizens are committed by officers who have no regard for human life. Most law officers would put their lives in danger protecting us, and we see that time and time again. We should not let the actions of a few taint the opinions of the entire law enforcement community, and instead we should take action to ensure that those who abuse their power are brought to justice and treated fairly under the law.

I applaud my own police department, the Albany Police Department, for their outstanding relationship with the citizens and communities of Albany, Georgia. Their involvement and participation in community efforts create a stronger bond between them, which gives a sense of respect for both the department and for the citizens who support it.

Their continued efforts in educating the youth and for their dedication to serve and protect make them a model police force that should be used for other departments across the nation.

Andrew Niquette, 19, of Albany, is one of the youngest delegates to the Democratic National Convention being held this week week in Philadelphia. The Westover High School graduate is one of the delegates representing the 2nd Congressional District of Georgia. He will be providing daily updates from the convention to The Herald.