Police union partners with NAACP

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Austin Police Association and the local chapter of the NAACP have formed a unique partnership, pledging to work together to bridge the divide between police officers and Austin's minority community.

Representatives of the two groups said Wednesday that APD officers will begin a series of workshops in East Austin parks designed for members of the community and the officers to get to know each other.

"It's harder to distrust and dislike people when you get to know them, so I think all of this will help the communication building and start building some bridges that we should have built a long time ago," said Wayne Vincent, president of the Austin Police Association.

The partnership will begin in the place where so much trust was lost- at the Walnut Creek apartment complex where an officer shot Nathaniel Sanders,18, back in May 2009. The officer said Sanders reached for a gun.

NAACP President Nelson Linder said officers will participate in a back-to-school event at Walnut Creek - handing out school supplies and talking with children.

"This is about us doing all that we can to talk to each other and realize that we all have similar interests overall - respect, integrity, let's get there and make this a better city overall," said Linder.

Other community leaders support the partnership and said it is a good start.

"I have hope that this will lead to bigger things," said Pastor Gaylon Clark, of the Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church . "I know it can help and I just think it's the resolve and the will of those involved to make it happen."

Officer Leonardo Quintana was cleared of criminal charges in the shooting, but Thursday, the Austin City Council will vote on a controversial $750,000 settlement in the wrongful death lawsuit brought by the Sanders family.