Community Relations Service

Stephen Thom
202/305-2950

Washington, D.C. 20530

     WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Justice Department's Community Relations Service (CRS) Director Sharee M. Freeman will be speaking on Arab, Muslim and Sikh (AMS) cultural awareness at the 2004 National Community Policing Conference on Tuesday, June 22, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. The conference, sponsored by the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), will be held on June 21-23 at the Wardman Park Marriott Hotel, 2660 Woodley Road, N.W., Washington, D.C.

     CRS will discuss ways in which law enforcement agencies can effectively establish positive community relations in areas with significant Arab, Muslim and Sikh populations. This training is a continuation of CRS nationwide efforts to address issues affecting Arab, Muslim, and Sikh communities in the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.

     Also on Tuesday, CRS Deputy Director Stephen Thom will be participating in a scenario-driven panel discussion (also shown as a live webcast) on use of force issues, along with members of law enforcement, civil rights groups and community leaders.

     All conference events and seminars are open to the media. The COPS media contact for the conference is Gilbert Moore, 202.616.1728.

     More than 1,100 law enforcement officers and criminal justice professionals are expected to attend this year's conference, which will offer 49 workshops in the following tracks: Homeland Security, Integrity and Public Trust Effective Technology, School and Campus Policing, Problem Solving Strategies, Partnership Development, and Contemporary Issues in Community Policing.

     CRS is a unique federal agency dedicated to preventing and resolving racial and ethnic conflicts. For more information about the Community Relations Service, a component of the U.S. Department of Justice, see its web site at: www.usdoj.gov/crs.

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