This film was created as part of a multi-part law enforcement training program, designed to make officers more aware of their position as community members and protectors. This particular film shows scenarios showing how the community may view police officers, as well as how simple interactions between citizen and officers can have an impact on public opinion and trust in the law. The film was produced in 1975 by Harper and Row Publishers Inc. (:18) under a grant from the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration (:19). The film features Dr. George L. Kirkham, an esteemed professor at the Florida State University School of Criminology who also works for the Tallahassee Police Department. The opening scene shows Dr. George L. Kirkham in his police officer’s uniform taking a radio call about a barking dog (:46). The patrol car pulls into a lot for a rendezvous with another police officer (2:39). The pair banter back and forth briefly before, over the radio, a call comes in about the barking dog again (3:22). The answering officer lies and says he had already checked on the location and no dog was heard. Another situation shows a new officer and his wife preparing to go to an evening gathering (4:35). At the gathering, Dave (the new police officer) meets guests who question him and his work (5:05). He and his wife have to leave the gathering early as Dave has night court another hurdle Dave experiences in his personal life due to his work (7:48). Another police officer is pictured losing sleep at night due to a neighbor’s dog barking continuously for hours (8:47). A traffic cops guides traffic around him putting himself at risk from negligent or careless drivers (9:25). As two civilians get into a minor accident, the pair attempt to settle the dispute amongst themselves (11:04). Two cops drive by and decide to check the scene (11:29). After the pair again decides to settle their issues without a police report (12:20) the husband asks one of the officers whether or not he should have his pregnant wife taken for a medical check. He informs the concerned husband that it would take excess time and money to file the report and that to him, the woman appeared to be fine. As they leave the scene, the second cop protests over the first officer’s decision stating if anything were to happen to the woman, it would be on them (12:43). Another situation shows a County Sheriff’s vehicle crossing city limits (13:07) to interrupt an already ongoing interrogation of a store clerk over a robbery incident (14:12). The Sheriff is irritated as the report had not gone out over the radio (14:34). The officer who had first been on scene, leaves before completing his report leaving room for error or misinformation (15:45). The Sheriff turns to complete the interrogation while two of the witnesses walk away and discuss how the guilty person or party had received ample time to get away due to the squabble (16:03). This film was produced and directed by Elliot N. Smith (16:32) and filmed in Jacksonville Florida (16:46). It was aired on WFSU-TV Tallahassee, Florida (16:49).

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