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Presentation by Operation Established Trust
Major Wayne Adkins introduced the item and briefly explained Operation Established Trust (OET). He explained how the group was formed after the George Floyd incident and organized with law enforcement to start a dialogue with the youth in their city. They started through the Pompano Beach High School and now have a community outreach and response enforcement education team known as the core team.
Colonel Gregory Johnson described the purpose of OET, stating that they wanted to respond positively to the negative impact on law enforcement after the death of George Floyd. They believe in supporting law enforcement and want to provide opportunities to positively impact youths in their community. The group focuses on programs that show a different side of law enforcement beyond sirens and arrests, including toy drives and other community events.
Zoey Katz, Pompano Beach senior, briefly spoke about her involvement in OET and how it helped her find a sense of community in Pompano Beach. She also mentioned how the lessons learned from the Sheriff's Office encouraged her and other students to be a part of Pompano Beach's school safety culture. Zoey also talked about supporting toy and food drives, and how it helped her make a meaningful impact in the community. Finally, she expressed hope that Blanche Ely High School will have the same opportunity to partner with OET to impact the community as well.
Colonel Johnson continued the presentation by reviewing the following previously held events: Christmas Extravaganza 2022, BSO of Pompano Beach Serving their Community, and OET Outreach. He then shared a video on a recent event coordinated by OET.
Mayor Hardin expressed his gratitude to the Broward Sheriff's Office for their participation and support in this initiative, which makes a significant difference. He said that OET is part of BSO's outreach efforts to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcement.