Norwalk Police Department's Community Outreach Efforts Praised in U.S. Attorney Video

NORWALK, CT — United States Attorney Deidre M. Daly has released a video about the benefits of community policing in Connecticut, and members of the Norwalk Police Department are among the officers featured.

In October 2016, Daly's office asked the Norwalk department to participate in the video, one of two Departments chosen - the other being New Haven - to participate due to its commitment to community policing and to promoting positive relationships with the residents.

The 9-minute clip features Daly and members of the Norwalk and New Haven forces interacting with citizens and discussing how a dedicated commitment to community policing has helped improve relations and solve crimes. See the video below.

"It's more than just programming, it's really listening to the community and involving them, and what they're looking for, and not us telling them what they need to hear," says Norwalk Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik in the video. "Actually listening to what they want and then responding to that."

One of the featured highlights of the video is the relationship between Norwalk Police Lt. Terrence Blake and Kashif Bullock, a Norwalk resident who credits his friendship with Lt. Blake for helping him turn his life around after a narcotics arrest. Blake gave Bullock his card, and the two began talking.

"That's when my point of view started changing, I mean, this guy actually just wanted to see me do good," says Bullock. "I could never see myself going back to that life, after what happened with Lt. Blake, since me and him established a relationship. And now I see everything for what it really is."

Photo: Norwalk Police Lt. Terrence Blake, left, and Kashif Bullock. Photo credit: YouTube.com

(Editor's Note: Patch is re-posting this story in case you missed it the first time around.)