GREENSBORO, N.C. — Policing is in the spotlight both in North Carolina and across the nation, especially after the death of George Floyd.
Members of the High Point Police Department took steps toward an open conversation about police, race and the community during a visit to the International Civil Rights Center Tuesday.
"A lot of the things they were talking about in there today, it was the first time I'd heard them. But it's probably not the first time I should have heard them," Interim Chief Travis Stroud said.
Stroud was joined on the tour by members of his command staff and other executive team members of the department.
He said for some on the tour, it was their first time visiting the museum. It was Stroud's first time as well.
"We wanted to make sure that we took the chance to ensure that we're doing our job the proper way, being aware of the past history and make sure that we don't replicate some mistakes," Stroud said.
The visit fell on day two of the Derek Chauvin trial. Chauvin is the former Minneapolis Police Officer charged in the death of George Floyd last summer.
Floyd's death sparked protests across the country, including in cities like Greensboro and High Point. The conversation about race and policing still continues.
"One of our biggest things is we want to be fair and impartial and I think for us to do that, you need to educate yourself and that's exactly what the museum did for us today," Stroud said.
The visit included a guided tour of the museum, followed by a discussion about what police department staff saw with museum staff.
"I don't think that we can make progress in the community until we get to a point where we can have powerful dialogues," museum CEO John Swaine said, "If people are afraid to ask questions, they're afraid of how something is going to come out, they're gonna sit there forever and not know."
Swaine said Greensboro and Winston-Salem Police Departments have also been on this tour. He hopes to host the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department soon.
"Many of our officers, they have good intent but a lack of exposure," Swaine said.
Chief Stroud said the next step for the department will be to find ways to implement what they've learned.