CLEVELAND — Emmanuel Velez has served as president of the Hispanic Police Officers Association in Cleveland for nearly a decade.

What You Need To Know

  • The Hispanic Police Officers Association is working to rebuild trust with the Hispanic community in Cleveland

  • Americans' distrust in police officers is at an all-time high, especially in communities of color

  • HPOA is hosting the Puerto Rican Parade and Expo next weekend

“Even in 2017, there was a big need to build trust within the community, being advocates, especially for the Hispanic community,” Velez said. “It was dear to us, and it’s always been dear to the HPOA.”

Americans’ confidence in police has declined in recent years, falling from 51% in 2021 to 45% in 2022. The Pew Research Center reports that levels of police distrust vary between racial and ethnic groups, finding that white adults were more likely to have a great deal of confidence in police in comparison to Hispanic, Asian and Black adults. Among Hispanic adults, fewer than a quarter said they are highly confident in the police, which is an issue Velez and his colleagues aim to address.

“There’s a lot of questions. Sometimes our demographic does not understand the processes or the policies and sometimes needs a hand to navigate the system.”

Velez said the organization also fosters relationships with local institutions, nonprofits, politicians, activists and even sports teams.

“We partner with organizations such as the Young Latino Network, the Hispanic Business Center, [the] Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and many other organizations,” Velez said.

Roza Cruz teaches Spanish at the Lincoln-West School of Global Studies in Cleveland. Outside of the classroom, Cruz volunteers with the Hispanic Police Officers Association and said she’s witnessed the organization’s boots-on-the-ground approach.

“The police officers are part of our community. It’s not like they just come from nowhere. They’re part of our communities. They are in our schools. They are in the streets with us,” she said.

Velez said their dedication is reflected in many ways, down to the officer’s clothing.

“The department also has polos like this versus wearing the uniform, right?” Velez said. “If we’re doing administrative work, it allows us to kind of come down, to the community’s level and, and build that trust from that point on.”

The Hispanic Police Officers will be hosting the Puerto Rican Parade and Expo, celebrating diverse music, art, food and culture in Cleveland on Aug. 3 and Aug. 4. You can visit their website for more details.