Cops and Communities: Rebuilding Trust

Are you concerned about the police involved shootings and the reactions of the communities around the country? Welcome to another episode of the National Crime Prevention Council Series with Co-host Michelle Boykins, Senior Director of Communications and her guest, Chief Gary MacNamara from the Fairfield Connecticut Police Department.

Chief MacNamara addresses this issue and explains the difference between traditional policing and community policing. In this episode, you will hear about how he believes the police departments can rebuild rapport with communities, even those that have had a long standing history of bad relations. Chief MacNamara also shares with us what he learned about community relations after being a first responder to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and shares his thoughts on the pros and cons of using body cameras.

Chief Gary MacNamara

B.S. Law Enforcement Science - University of New Haven, Connecticut

Masters Degree in Public Administration - University of New Haven, Connecticut

Chief MacNamara is a 22 year veteran of the Fairfield Connecticut Police Department, starting as a patrol officer in 1988. There he served as a Field Training Officer and was temporarily assigned to an Auto Theft Task Force. He has served the department as a Detective, Detective Sergeant, Lieutenant, and Captain. He has recently been serving the department as Deputy Chief. His duties include overseeing the Field Services Division of the Fairfield Police Department, covering patrol, investigations and Special Services. In the past he has overseen the Emergency Response Team, Hostage Negotiators, Training Unit, Internal Affairs, Accreditation and Public Information.

In 2002, he was the lead negotiator at Fairfield University where he successfully negotiated the release of 27 students and a professor held hostage on the campus, by a subject claiming to possess an explosive device. That same year, 2002, MacNamara was a Fairfield County Hero Award nominee for courage, dedication and commitment to Public service, and Police officer of the year for the Bridgeport Exchange Club.

Chief MacNamara has taught in the area of Critical Incident Response, as well as Interview and Interrogation techniques, auto theft, internet safety for both children and parents as well as in the areas of school violence and hostage negotiations, sharing his experiences during the University incident. MacNamara is a 2004 graduate of the FBI National Academy (219), as well as a 2009 graduate of the FBI LEEDS Session #61. He is also an adjunct professor at POST University.

He was also a former journalist for the Justice Journal where he wrote a monthly column called "What if. ", and has appeared as the co-host, with Lt. Perez, of a local public access television series “Just the facts”. He has also appeared on the NBC Today Show, Geraldo Show, MSNBC Live, Dateline NBC and the Line-up on Fox News.