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Bartlesville Police Chief Tracy Roles will be one of twelve Inclusion and Diversity panelists at an event called “Bartlesville Diversity Unity Forum."

Topics such as diversity, inequality and race will be discussed during the forum. Chief Roles said the event was created to help open up lines of communication for people living in the community. He said they also want to hear from others in the community to see what has impacted them so the community's leadership can make improvements moving forward.

It is easy to talk about change and what needs to be done, but unless you have someone that is willing to hear it and not be offended by it because is does not line-up with how they feel, no change is going to happen. Chief Roles said the Unity Forum speaks volumes about the community because no outside groups are pushing for them to do anything different. Rather, the forum is group of people in the community that feels as if it is important to always have open and difficult conversations.

If we are uncomfortable during times of calm, we can better react to situations that are not so calm. Chief Roles said the forum is one way the public can come out and let the panel know what is concerning to them. He said "we do not know what we don't know," and the panel will not know your concerns until you bring them to them.

Below is a full list of the panelists:

• U.S. Representative Kevin Hern
• Washington County Sheriff Scott Owen
• Spirit Church Pastor Darryl Wootton
• Retired Educator Gerald Thompson
• Tri-County Tech Director Tara Gotwalt
• Bartlesville Police Chief Tracy Roles
• OKeQk President Morgan Lawrence
• Hilton Garden Inn Event Director Angela Tate
• Resident and OneOk Employee Dean Lowe
• Business Owner Sal Alberto
• Pastor Steven Griffith
• VCO Director Sharon Reese

Chief Roles said there is a lot of experience with diversity and thoughtfulness on the panel, which excites him. He said he will be one of the youngest people on the panel, so he believes he will learn plenty. The knowledge gained by Chief Roles will be taken back to the Bartlesville Police Department. Chief Roles said he will bring the knowledge back to challenge people at the BPD to think about the ideas and put them into practice.

Opportunities like the forum that will take place in August is a positive step to ensure that the Bartlesville community does not end up like other cities across the nation. Chief Roles said Bartlesville is unique in that the city and its people take steps like with the diversity and inclusion forums even though they are not asked to do so. He said they do these forums to stay in front of pressing issues so they do not have to play catch-up later. This model is something Chief Roles said other cities should implement across the nation.

When it comes to issues of diversity, inclusion and race, Chief Roles believes Bartlesville does an average job. Chief Roles said Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips do an outstanding job because they bring people from all walks of life their companies. He gave kudos to the two companies because of the people they bring into Bartlesville to be a part of the community, to live in the community, and to be a positive impact in the community.

The Bartlesville Police Department would love to be more diverse. However, Chief Roles said they are limited by the people that apply to be police officers. He said they then have to hire the best people that make it through the process.

The BPD and the City of Bartlesville are looking at ways in which they can be more diverse to be a better representation of the community. Chief Roles said it is important not just because they want the police force to look any certain way, but they want them to have a well-rounded, cultural view point when it comes to handling problems that are real. He said the only way they can do that is if they have people that surround them that have lived that life, and can educate them as to what the problem looks like and why they are in the situation that they are in.

The Bartlesville Diversity Unity Forum will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 4th from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. The event will be held at the Tower Center at Unity Square. You are asked to follow all CDC guidelines during the event.