[i]ThinkZILLA PR & Consulting Retained to Represent ‘The Bridge Summit: Connecting Community Engagement with Police Professionalism’[/i]

HOUSTON, Texas – The Checkered Flag Foundation announced today that “The Bridge Summit: Connecting Community Engagement with Police Professionalism” will take place in Houston on February 17-18, 2016. The historic event was first launched in Phoenix on the heels of several high profile officer-involved shootings and the resulting community protests in cities across the U.S. The summit offers a forum for police chiefs and other high-ranking officials to collaborate and develop solutions and best practices for improving police relations and community engagement.

During the first Bridge Summit, police chiefs from several cities across the U.S. dialogued on a wide range of proposed solutions for bridging the gaps between law enforcement and the community, including increased policy transparency, a citizen’s police academy, creating more interaction between police officers and youth, and more. Video footage of the event is available on YouTube.

“The Bridge Summit: Connecting Community Engagement with Police Professionalism” is hosted by the University of Phoenix College of Security and Criminal Justice, Thurgood Marshall College Fund and the Checkered Flag Run Foundation, whose mission is “Investing in Education to Ensure Every Student Gets to Cross the Finish Line.” University of Phoenix will help with research and compiling the data generated from the panel discussions and will provide insight on possible training and education opportunities.

“The summit provides a forum where law enforcement officials can explore conscious and unconscious biases that contribute to the dynamics of community engagement and perceptions and behavioral shifts in the community,” said Alan A.P. Powell, founder of the Checkered Flag Run Foundation. “We’ve sparked a dialog that I believe will be instrumental in increasing understanding and improving relationships.”

The Checkered Flag Run Foundation has retained ThinkZILLA PR & Consulting to represent “The Bridge Summit: Connecting Community Engagement with Police Professionalism” in Houston. For more information about the summit, visit www.checkeredflagrunfoundation.org or contact ThinkZILLA PR & Consulting.