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Policing Flint: Jermaine Reese on Community, Training, and Accountability


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Jermaine Reese, spent eighteen years as a Flint Police Officer. He shares his policing career, its highs and lows. He patrolled the Flint, Michigan neighborhood where he was raised.

What is life like in a City of Flint patrol car? What will it take for Flint's crime statistics to improve? What type of training for police will reduce abuse claims and lawsuits?

Dr. Reese explains that one of those challenges was being black and a policeman.  Professor Reese also comments on the Black Lives Matter movement and its impact on policing today.

He describes the effects of Flint's economic and social problems on the job of a police officer. Reese eloquently outlines the personal qualities he acquired growing up in Flint, Michigan.

Professor Reese shares his thoughts about the need for community policing in Flint and makes some suggestions to improve the quality of policing there.

Dr. Jermaine Reese has a Phd and a Masters Degrees in Criminal Justice.  He attended C.S. Mott Community College and its Criminal Justice Program.  He formerly served as a Professor at Grand Rapids Community College and was the Director of the Police Training Academy in that city. He is now a Professor at Wayne County Community College-Dearborn.

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  • Flint hip hop artist Joe Ryan III and his 90 year old grandmother, Odessa Houston perform the song "Flint, Michigan" played in this episode.
  • Special thanks to Dr Avon Burns, retired Professor at C.S. Mott Community College for making this episode possible.

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