MOULTRIE, Ga. – 

There once was a billboard that read: “It’s all about effective communication.”

That declaration can be applied in broad venue. This past week, our Moultrie Police Department embraced a high-tech version of that concept by implementing a transparency project titled “Open Policing.”

While the technology behind this effort may be a bit complex, the concept itself is rather simple. It boils down to let’s talk. The key now is for our community to embrace it.

Quite often in our Rants and Raves forum, we get comments relative to law enforcement as well as other local and state agencies.  Open Policing will allow the public to log into a website anonymously to weigh in on their experiences with our police department. 

Police Chief Frank Lang said the Moultrie Police Department is committed to continuous improvement and believes that listening to the public is an important part of building trust and transparency.

The bottom line is to hear ideas from the public so that our policing system can learn and grow. It’s about engagement and interaction. Another way to put it, it allows us to be part of the solutions.

Of course we the public should not perceive of this concept as a “gripe session.”  While we may register our concerns, we should also comment on what we feel is working and give credit where credit is due. 

Often in this column we have encouraged more public involvement with our local law enforcement.  Just reading the local crime report each day illustrates  what a challenge our officers face in protecting our lives and property. Certainly we have a vested interest in partnering with law enforcement.

We applaud our Moultrie Police Department for launching this effort. And we strongly encourage the public to take full advantage of this opportunity to engage.

More information on this project can be obtained by contacting the Moultrie Police Department at melinda.lee@moultriega.com.You may visit www.openpolicing.org.