Lubbock Police Chief Greg Stevens and Mayor Dan Pope held a joint press conference Tuesday to address community relations in the Hub City.
“It seems like it is strong but fair enough question to ask those that are not inside the police department,” Stevens said of the relationship between LPD and residents.
“The senseless killings must end,” Pope said. “We’ve got to find a way get together and have discourse. We’re not always going to agree, but that doesn’t mean that we’re disagreeable.”
Pope said city officials were planning several community forums, to open the door for residents to share their thoughts on how the city is being run.
“As a community, we can be better than examples like we’ve seen around the country,” he added. “But we need everyone’s help.”
“Whether you’re a Lubbock resident or whether you’re a visitor to Lubbock, Texas we want to make sure that you know that you’re heard by police administration,” Stevens explained.
“I applaud the chief and the mayor for getting us together and talking about it,” said City Council member Steve Massengale. “This weighs on our hearts right now, as this type of violence as we see it across the nation. the last thing we want to do is have it here.”
Shelia Patterson Harris, who was recently elected to City Council alongside Massengale, said communication was crucial.
“I think that we have to make sure that we’re fostering communities where people can communicate and get things done. We don’t have to agree, but it does not lead to things where people are harmed and injured and hurt,” she said.
“Violence is never the answer,” said pastor and school board trustee Bill Stubblefield. “I think we have an opportunity here, the City of Lubbock, to be premiere… exemplary model of what I hope our nation could be doing.”
“This is not a North, East, South, West, black, brown, white. It’s about Lubbock, it’s about all of us,” Pope explained.
