In an effort to enhance community dialogue and build trust, Chief of Police Frank Nichols will hold a town-hall style meeting tonight at 6:00 p.m. in the City Hall Municipal Court Room. The meeting will be geared toward residents of Ward 1 and Ward 4, but any citizen is welcome to attend.
“This meeting will be an informative tool to let the public know exactly what we are doing and to get their feedback on how we can do our job better to serve them,” Nichols said.
The Starkville Police Department has recently conducted public meetings as the need arose; however, a long-term goal has been set to carry out a public exchange at least every other month. Each meeting will feature a different ward, with Ward 5 tentatively scheduled next.
Chief Nichols said there will not be a strict agenda and community members are welcome to address any concerns or offer any advice they may have.
“Anyone can just come and speak,” he said. “We like to hear what we are doing well and if we need to improve in any areas. We also want to give out information on how you can better protect your neighborhoods, your homes and your valuables.”
Nichols said these meeting are one phase of a broader effort to implement “community oriented policing,” along with increased utilization of social media.
The meeting has no scheduled end time. It will last “as long as it needs to,” Nichols said.
For more information, please visit the SPD’s Twitter account (@Starkville_PD) or Facebook page: