Oklahoma police, citizens hope Washington, D.C. trip can help foster communication at home

For five days in July, a group of Oklahoma residents and police officers discussed the often tense relationship between Black communities and law enforcement.

The sensitive topic has been the focus of forums, small-groups, news conferences and town halls across the country, but people who took part in a recent OK Justice Circle trip had discussions and experiences in a unique format: a trip to Washington, D.C.

Justice group members the Rev. Jon Middendorf and Wayland Cubit, a retired Oklahoma City police lieutenant currently serving as director of security for Oklahoma City Public Schools, led a group of northeast Oklahoma City residents and metro-area police officers to the nation's capital on a trip aimed at enhancing dialogue and establishing relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The trip included representatives from the Edmond, Del City and Oklahoma City police departments. A retired Midwest City police leader also participated.

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Middendorf, senior pastor of OKC First Church of the Nazarene, said the trip exceeded his expectations and will culminate at an OK Justice Circle "Breaking Bread" event during Black History Month in February. He said a film about the trip will be shown, and members of the group will have opportunities to talk about their experiences. The minister said there also will be time for community members to ask questions about the trip.

"It went well enough that we feel like we have to keep doing this kind of thing, so we're going to do it again next year," he said. "The point of this is not even that these were police officers, and it's not that these other folks were Black. The point is the friendship that allows people to see somebody that they may not have seen or understood before."

'Incredible resources for peacemaking'

Middendorf said the group's visit was paid for through a grant from Flourish, the philanthropic arm of Oklahoma City-based Hobby Lobby. The trip included visits to the White House, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the National Law Enforcement Museum and Arlington Cemetery. The Oklahomans also met with U.S. Sen. James Lankford, whom Middendorf said helped the OK Justice Circle with certain aspects of the trip.

Middendorf said he was optimistic about the potential for connection and movement toward peace.

"We think that there are incredible resources for peacemaking," he said.

Cubit, a candidate for Oklahoma County sheriff, said OK Justice Circle members have seen friendships form between people of different backgrounds as they gather for meals at Breaking Bread events. He said the hope was that the D.C. trip would result in similar friendships — and it did.

"It ended up being more conversations about who we are and what kind of people we are in the community, and what we do in the community, and why we do it in the community," he said.

"What we thought was going to be the overarching theme became the sub theme. Friendship became the major theme."

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma police, citizens hope Washington, D.C. trip can help foster communication at home