The Detroit Police Department is embracing the power of social media to reach residents in the city.
The initiative features Chief James Craig in regular community meetings that are broadcast on Facebook Live.
Watch the most recent broadcast below:
The fourth "Real Talk with Chief Craig" took place Wednesday at S.A.Y Detroit on the city's east side.
"There's a demographic that we don't touch and the demographic we don't touch is our millennials and our youth community," Craig said.
Craig began the live session by mentioning the email comment of a resident who questioned the outreach effort and suggested it was political grandstanding by the chief. He strongly disagreed.
"If we don't put our story out, we're not getting the input that we need to be more effective," said Craig. "We can't rely just on local news to do that."
Community members attend each of these sessions. Annette Price, who lives on Sirron and is a member of the Sirron Block Club, asked for more police presence in her neighborhood.
Craig also promised representatives of another block club that an arrest would be made after police were given photos, video and addresses of a suspect in a recent home invasion in progress, but had yet to make an arrest in the case.
"We make arrests," Craig told those in attendance and anyone watching the live feed on Facebook. "That's what we do as a police department and if the prosecutor says, 'not enough, release', that happens all the time."
Craig informed 11th Precinct Commander Timothy Leach that he wanted special operations officers to knock on the suspect's door that day.
"Real Talk just means we get challenged," Craig said. "I'm accountable, and if there's something we should be doing more of, or different, I need to know what happened."
Price was pleased to see the chief in her community.
"He got down to nitty gritty today and I appreciate him and I appreciate all the officers coming out," Price said.
The "Real Talk with Chief Craig" sessions can also be accessed on DPD's Facebook page.
