FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Mayor Tom Henry held a roundtable discussion yesterday to discuss local public safety and law enforcement programs.

Local leaders present included Public Safety Director Rusty York, Police Chief Garry Hamilton, and nearly a dozen neighborhood and community leaders.

The Journal Gazette reports the meeting centered on community policing and racial issues, with heavy dialogue between the public and police officers.

York told the Journal Gazette, communication is key to helping officials address the concerns of the residents of Fort Wayne.

“When you look around the country to where they’re having the most problems right now, it’s where there’s been no engagement, there has been no dialogue and there are segments of those communities who feel like they’re being victimized by police instead of the police being the guardians.”

The city is planning a series of roundtable discussions on the topic of public safety over the next few months.