The Diversity Round Table of Greater Lafayette will host a community forum with local police chiefs at Ivy Tech Community College, 3101 Creasy Lane, at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12.

The event will be held in Lilly Rooms 1112, 1114, and 1120 in Ivy Hall. WBAA 920 AM will broadcast the event live.

Though police officers are a part of our everyday lives, limited interaction with them often makes any situation involving police officers somewhat intense. Though we count on them to serve and protect, often our thoughts run counter productive in terms of viewing the police in a positive light. The Greater Lafayette community had its share of negative press regarding local police officers in 2009 and yet some areas in the country are seeing lower crime statistics. Nationally, the numbers of violent deaths for law enforcement officers seem to be on the increase.

The forum will provide an opportunity to hear what local police departments are doing about diversity recruitment and training as well as better understand routine processes and approaches to law enforcement situations. The activity will be interactive with members of the public being able to ask direct questions of the police chiefs. The DRT held a similar event in 2008 for monthly attendees only and it was very informative.      

The Diversity Roundtable grew from Vision 2020 - A Plan for the Future, created by the Lafayette/West Lafayette community in 2001.  The DRT has come a long way in organizing community events focused on education and consciousness-raising about diversity.  Participants are concerned residents and representatives from area businesses and organizations. The DRT operates under the auspices of Greater Lafayette Commerce through the Chamber of Commerce. It meets the first Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the YWCA.   Meetings are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Jos N. Holman at 765-429-0118.