Camden's Turn: a story of police reform in progress

Camden’s Turn (28:00) is a story of transformation. As views of police and the communities they serve have become polarized across the country, Camden, NJ Police Chief Scott Thomson works to build relationships and calls on his officers “to shift from a warrior mentality to that of a guardian and community builder.” The film profiles Police Chief Scott Thomson, his command staff and officers as they works to implement community policing reforms. After the entire police force was laid off in 2012, Chief Thomson rebuilt the department and instituted a culture of community policing -- incorporating de-escalation training, engaging officers in sports, school book programs and community events, putting officers on bikes in neighborhoods and parks, and getting officers out of patrol cars and walking the beat. Camden's strategy was highlighted by President Obama’s national efforts to implement the recommendations outlined in the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing. After years of mistrust, violent crime, high arrests rates and devastating poverty, things are starting to turn around in Camden. Crime is down, people feel safer, and jobs are coming back to the the city.

[@brucecarson7365]

A touch of hope! Go Camden!!

[@Blue-xb2xr]

AWESOME PRODUCTION....I have been disowned and abandoned by friends and family for supporting the narrative that police agencies lost their way. The communities are and have been the future......this POLICE CHIEF is my prayer come true...MUCH LOVE....Everything this man has shared is simply being human.

[@deepfreezevideo]

This brought tears to my eyes because I was attacked and robbed in Camden back in 1977 and I spent three weeks in the hospital. I had a lot of suppressed rage about the town and I sometimes vowed to return to settle the score, which of course was absurd, but those were my thoughts, that was in my head, for years. Seeing Camden being revitalized, seeing cops who conduct themselves as guardians, seeing people putting effort and pride into the community, and seeing the first furtive green shoots of life come back to the city puts a lump in my throat and tears of joy in my eyes. I hope I can someday stop by RC's to get a haircut, even though I don't have much hair anymore. To all you Camden police officers, be PROUD of what you are doing, be VERY PROUD, because you are teaching the rest of the USA the most important lesson there is right now. And God knows, the rest of the country desperately needs to see this film, so that they understand the meaning and purpose of "Community Oriented Policing" and so that they finally open their eyes and see the PEOPLE of Camden. This is the sort of thing that makes me so proud to be an American. God Bless each and every one of you, civilians and police alike, because you are all doing God's work here.

[@vaquera9368]

I grew up in Camden. Left in 1987 to another state. I still have family who live there. It’s still bad. Trust me.

[@Phantom1963]

This is such a good feeling story It gets the Mr. Smiley Pile Award💩

[@jesseolson3142]

Its not much better. People still get robbed and shot heroin is still all over except now it fentanyl so it worse.

[@vaquera9368]

@Leroy Gardner been there recently. Still have family there and it hasn’t. It’s worse. Even my nephews tell me not to go there anymore. And if it improves, praise God!

[@talkingmoney4499]

@@vaquera9368 so you are out of your mind ….Camden has got a lot better compared to since 2014 each year got better and north Camden Is completely better ….it’s not as bad as it use to be

[@EaterOfBoners]

This is huge. This needs to be seen by the rest of America. Sure, it might not apply to every single town or city, but what a massive step in the best of directions.

[@diannh2894]

It's actually not better

[@917hazel]

@@diannh2894 Would you explain why. TY. I am interested.

[@davidemch1859]

Shout this man from the rooftops. He is the change we need right now.

[@DPCrazyXD]

Please make this video Public!! So that it can be easily shared!

[@mark_midmark]

This is a beautiful documentary. I hope Camden continues being strong and supporting the community.

[@ljmounteney4131]

This is great. I agree please make public to share...

[@WildWest144]

Imagine if this type of program was implemented in every city in America. What an enormous impact it would have in our communities. Im impressed with the efforts in this city. #Amazing

[@Daija27]

That was assume. Great production and great police work. Interacting with the children, just beautiful.

[@mugennam1]

can only pray that there will be change in the system. these stories PROVE there can be hope in the future

[@virginiaallyn1560]

Outstanding. It was so well filmed and edited. The message vital.

[@aquanettaspeight3819]

When Campbell Soup, RCA, FEDERAL JOBS dried up an left so did the working class people an all that was left was corruption 😳😐😑 After reviewing this story to the end, Camden is on a right path to becoming a place to be proud of.💯👍🏾👍🏾👏🏿👏🏿

[@naughtydred8538]

I hope they managed to keep it up during the recent troubles

[@Arkiasis]

In recent days the police force marched with protestors.

[@naughtydred8538]

Yeah, I searched Google after this comment and saw it. I felt bad as I had already seen it but left a very cynical comment about police PR. I was wrong, it was a genuinely working community of people with the police being part of the people

[@joshuaferguson3459]

I found this to be an amazing story. My fiance is from Camden; we current Residence in South Carolina. I been with her for 5 years now I've known her for 8 and she has told me some of the most unbelievable stories; all true I might add, about growing up in camden. Stories that have made me look at her and say bs there's no way; but as unbelievable and outrageous as they may have seemed like I said all true. I hope to be visiting Camden very soon I have never been to an area like Camden and through KZbin videos I've been able to very subtly understand what Camden used to be like and due to the police reform see where Camden is headed. I can only hope that more police departments will follow suit in some kind of way or another because what the Camden metro has been able to accomplish in such a short time is truly inspiring; uplifting; and amazing. The area on which we live is one of those areas albeit far from Camden in terms of crime our police force is definitely not very well trusted nor respected. That to me is very disheartening and discouraging. But anyway Metro keep up the great work you guys and girls are doing there and like I said we can only hope that the word spreads rapidly to the rest of the police in our country and beyond and reform can happen everywhere in this way and maybe order can be somewhat restored in this rapidly failing world and uplift everybody especially for the sake of the officers of this world. Anyway thank you for letting me rant good job metro keep it going.

[@Davis30b]

Yes this video right here officer!

[@drunkentarotwkay685]

This was very touching🙏🏽

[@st7728]

This should have a million likes, but people don't want good cops. They want someone to blame for the way they are. This should be mandatory training and then swarm every crime infested town or city with police. Make it extremely hard to be a criminal. Good on you Camden!!!

[@AnnemieM]

It's about time for this kind of shift after all it's the 21st century.

[@Dowlphin]

This is nicely inspiring. THIS is the 'new normal' we need for enlightenment of all of humankind, to reach a 'critical mass' for transcending the collective fear traumas of the past. Now this has to become a path without needing severe crisis triggers first. Less reactionary and more proactive, idealistic. Only then can be say we have truly learned, evolved. We have to understand the knock-on effects of what we do; the power of influence. Every act of courage of not acting violently-defensively (or worse) is received by the whole system, and next time you or your colleague are approaching the same area, the effects of that courage have been invested, so every time it gets a little less dangerous to show courage. As we have to resolve wealth inequality, we also have to resolve a general burden inequality. No one has to be a saint or superhero if everybody practices a little bit of courage. Also, this is how not to defund the police: When the police doesn't need to team up with social workers so much because they become the social workers. (Which they never truly were in the history of the USA, but there's a first time for everything.) Plus, the idea of police defunding means moving of budget to social work, which affirms the scarcity regime, i.e. there wouldn't be any extra money for social work. It's a nice symbolic concept to shed a light on a problem, but you either transform the police force or you basically give up hope about them, and such polarization is not good. It is better to gradually develop closer overlap and naturally end up with one profession of social caretaking that has various specializations like medical, law enforcement, psychology, basic sustenance and such. Also, to say it bluntly: You absolutely have to stop having police be trained by Israel. Israel fully capitalizes on trauma and psychopathy. Their police training is like the black gi dojo in Karate Kid. They are the absolute antithesis to Eastern martial arts philosophy of character maturing. (Maturity being the overcoming of fear - THE profound spiritual challenge of this experience of life and the universe. It is literally a religious path because it reconnects; brings us back closer to the divine.) 18:08 - Not a 4A-FE under the hood, but on the plate. 😄

[@FatRonaldo1]

Why aren’t more people talking about this?

[@reallylow76]

Im glad to see there is change happening in camden. I really thought camden was doomed. Good job to all parties envolved.

[@DoorknobHead]

Beautiful.

[@tinasmith8104]

Too bad people did not see this or even hear of it. This was over 6 years ago. Seems as if people don't care about anything unless it is in their backyard. This has been all over the majority of news stations in the country back when it was happening; you can google it and see. Hopefully people will become more active on LOOKING for information and STOP WAITING for it to be presented to them.

[@rodmckinney40]

It just goes to show that community and police can work together good quality police that is

[@jesseolson3142]

They still have a long way to go.

[@kayleeparker3833]

Why is this video unlisted?

[@michaelschaefer1904]

There is progress in Camden for sure, but it's at a gargantuan expense. Still, relatively few people visit Camden at night other than for the concerts at BB&T. Parts have improved a lot in recent years, but I don't think it's over the hump.

[@Charles-yq8vv]

We need community policing Philly so bad.

[@donnacristino4957]

Where can I find the documentary on Metro taking over the city it was shown years ago.. The camera's placed on every street... What they see....how the access was saving lives

[@TECHBLESS]

story of police

[@defectivepickle1]

bro IS THAT SISTER HELLEN??

[@seanwhatshisname1831]

Yhea sometime their mom just don't know how to be what they should to these young people

[@LS-ys8nr]

I don’t get why people are saying this video is unlisted and not public. It’s on KZbin so isn’t that public?

[@kbbbb7]

This seems to be mainstream "community policing" with the strategies used in the UK/Australia etc for the past 20 years. I'm floored that America wasn't always doing this. No wonder there are problems.

[@tbm8251]

blame neglectful politicians and NY police union

[@poppyseed1000]

This should have way more views why is it unlisted :,,,(

[@Blue-xb2xr]

It is unlisted because police agencies and those responsible for the lazy, neglectful, corrupt culture, do not wNt CHANGE. They fail to realize they will not lose control.or power but actually gain a greater control over themselves and the positive influence they can impart on their communities the best of all of us. Much 💘

[@mauroalves317]

how ironic to see the best of america on the poorest city of america!!!brave people!!

[@vaquera9368]

Bologne. I was visiting family on the border of Pennsauken. I got lost in Camden around the Marina. I asked an officer for direction and he questioned why I was going there. After he gave me directions, he warned me to be very careful especially in Camden. There are streets cops don’t even drive on in Camden. Has that changed??

[@DoorknobHead]

Yes, why is this video UNLISTED? This seems like this video should be out for all to see, especially at an important time like this. > The KZbin UNLISTED meaning is that your video will neither come up in the search results nor on your channel. Only the users who have the link to the video can view it.

[@carlawilliams5-26-27]

They could've showed better streets, and had a better commentary, all streets in Camden are not dooms day! I believe if you police the city you work in you should live here to be in better care for the community!

[@deepfreezevideo]

Not to worry, we all saw everything, we know that the community is broken in some spots but beautiful in others, just like any city in America. What we see in the broken areas is the healing, so let the scars remain until the time comes to bring those spots back to life.

[@allenwarner6310]

They'll never stop the drug from going in there that's their economics the government can't afford to stop the drugs

[@charlesmerfeld2988]

Not sure it's working.

[@berniebleak]

Can someone explain what unlisted means? I found this video because I was searching for a doc on Camden police reform, what does unlisted do to views?

[@onice33]

Thats right.. fuck quotas!!! Thats the biggest problem!!

[@MohseenLala]

Why is this unlisted?

[@JoseRodriguez-zu5mo]

25:29 joker was right

[@Phantom1963]

And they lived happily ever after.... 🎼🎶🎵🎶🎵🎶🎵This is such a feel good pile 💩 it deserves the Mr. Smiley Pile Award 🥴

[@eddiet204]

This is a community beyond repair. While you can change the role and attitudes of the police, the community is the same community that's responsible for the violence. Negligent parenting, if you can even call it parenting, is why this community has the problems it does. The best thing you can do is leave the city. The police aren't there to solve your problems. It's unrealistic to think that policing alone, or government for that matter, will solve your personal woes. No jobs? Last time I checked, there are no walls keeping you inside Camden.

[@sarcrazy530]

Every single thing you just said is wrong