On September 12 2016, Detroit FBI, Special Agent in Charge David P. Gelios, Dr Kalvin Harvell, and the BLACK Male and QUEENS Focus Group of Henry Ford College’s Sociology Department co-hosted a roundtable discussion that focused on relationship building between members of the African American community and the FBI, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and law enforcement executive management from the Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb tri-county area.

The event was well attended by leaders of the African-American community, to include those representing social, professional, political, and academic organizations. Among those in attendance were local high school and college students who engaged various Metro-Detroit suburban police executives in a meaningful discussion of ways to address current racial and generational issues facing our communities.

This event served as the second roundtable discussion regarding community and law enforcement relations within the past month. Monday’s roundtable continued discussion of the tenuous climate across the United States following several recent highly publicized officer-involved shootings and subsequent shooting incidents and civil unrest which resulted in the loss of law enforcement officers’ lives during which law enforcement was targeted in retaliatory attacks.

The FBI is the primary federal agency responsible for the investigation of allegations of violations of federal civil rights statutes. As such, the FBI is committed to working collaboratively with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, our local law enforcement partners, and community members to ensure justice is served when rights are violated.

Through continuing frank, open, and honest dialogue the FBI, the USAO, and law enforcement leaders can achieve a greater understanding of our community, its concerns, and the community’s expectations.

Representatives of the following agencies and organizations attended Monday’s roundtable discussion:

• Macomb County Sheriff’s Office
• Wayne County Sheriff’s Office
• Michigan State Police, Second District Hdqrs.
• Livonia Police Department
• Grosse Pointe Farms Police Department
• Franklin Police Department
• Southfield Police Department
• Clinton Township Police Department
• Grosse Pointe Shores Police Department
• Dearborn Heights Police Department
• West Bloomfield Police Department
• Roseville Police Department
• Oak Park Dept. of Public Safety
• United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Michigan