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Saturday, February 28, 2015
The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office released a new video aimed at strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the Somali community. The video discusses the public safety responsibilities of the Sheriff's Office, opportunities for community members to connect with the Sheriff's Office, and describes the Sheriff's Community Engagement Team (CET). The video is approximately six minutes long and the narration is in the Somali language.
"Hennepin County is very diverse, and we recognize the need to be reflective of the multicultural communities we serve. This video allows us to share our message in a manner that is culturally specific so that we can continue to build trust and positive relationships in the Somali community," says Hennepin County Sheriff Rich Stanek.
The CET will utilize the video at community gatherings, roundtable discussions, citizen's academies, and other events. In the video, Sheriff Stanek introduces the CET and explains the importance of ongoing outreach efforts in order to address public safety concerns and build trust. The Sheriff's Office East-African Liaison, Abdi Mohammed, describes the role of law enforcement, current issues affecting the Somali community, and how residents can effectively partner with the Sheriff's Office to reduce crime.
Hennepin County is home to nearly 100,000 Somali, and 40,000 Oromo residents.
The CET was established in 2010, and is responsible for partnering with community organizations and law enforcement agencies to improve outreach efforts within Hennepin County. The CET attends community gatherings and celebrations, they respond to citizen requests for assistance, and also promote diversity recruitment efforts for the Sheriff's Office. Since its inception, the CET has become a model program for agencies worldwide.