Trust is a critical component linking residents and law enforcement officers, who have sworn to serve and protect the public.
That trust has been eroded by a series of incidents nationwide involving officers shooting unarmed civilians, including blacks. The incidents have prompted suspicions and allegations of racism, as well as calls for the increased use of body cameras worn by officers.
A recent News Tribune story reported the Cole County Sheriff's Department has adopted the use of body cameras, joining a trend the Lincoln University Police Department has followed since the beginning of the school year. Jefferson City's police have not yet endorsed body cameras largely because of the cost - which, at about $580 each - is significant.
Body cameras are designed to provide a factual record of officer involvement and, to that extent, they have merit.
But because those incidents sometimes occur in mere seconds in dark places, the video footage - as the public has seen in recordings from both body and dash cameras - is not always definitive.
The purpose of the cameras, however, goes beyond recording incidents. They also are intended to discourage unprofessional behavior by officers and promote openness and objectivity.
As Capt. John Wheeler of the sheriff's department said, "We feel this is the right thing to do the way our country is leaning. It shows transparency and that we have got nothing to hide."
We agree, but we believe body cameras are one of many components to outfit officers with the training, equipment and demeanor to meet the varied challenged of their very demanding jobs.
To that end, we also support ongoing initiatives, including community policing; school resource officers; Neighborhood Watch programs; Crisis Intervention Teams designed to identify and respond to mental health crises; Coffee With A Cop days; and more.
Credit the law enforcement community with adopting proactive initiatives designed to build working relationships, partnerships and - ultimately - trust between officer and the people they serve.