The debate about police and the major publicised conflicts in cities such as Ferguson and Baltimore has opened up conversation about the relationship between law enforcement and their prospective communities.

Individuals such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland, Freddie Grey, and Alton Sterling who have been killed under controversial situations have sparked increased calls from communities throughout the nation to increase police training while others defend police officers with a “Blue Lives Matter” campaign to show support for their local officers.

Student Resource Officer Spencer Smith and Chief of Police Corey Coon feel that the community has a vast respect for officers and the debate has little effect on the community’s relationship with law enforcement.

“We are pretty spoiled in Sandpoint. We still have a really great relationship with our community and great love to the police department,” Coon said.

For Smith, more community members thank officers for their service than have issues with it.

“We have a few through town who do see us as big brother or who feel we aren’t justified in enforcing laws, but in a whole, a big majority, Sandpoint and Bonner county do respect officers,” Smith said.

For Coon, the introduction of body cameras five years ago helped the community interaction with the law enforcement.

“For one, it helps hold the officer accountable, but two it really shows the public that when they file these complaints we can go back and pull those videos and we can actually see those videos and see what happened,” Coon said.

For both Smith and Coon, training has prepared them, but only so far as each situation they encounter on the field is different.

“There are a lot of situations that we never had the opportunity to see and hopefully never will see in Sandpoint, and those are the ones that when it happens we will see how prepared we are for them,” Coon said.

Smith, who teaches the criminology class at  Sandpoint High talks about the debate in class with his students, many of whom are interested in a career in law enforcement.

“We talk about police brutality, about use of deadly force, and that’s the reason I am a criminology teacher is because I can teach them that the police are here to help,” Smith said.

Audrey Mattila, junior, whose father is an Idaho State Police, wishes that the good deeds of officers could be focused on instead of the often negative portrayal.

Likewise, senior Taylor Stalder, who also has a relative in law enforcement, said that the community should show appreciation for officers.

“Their lives matter,” Stalder said.

For Smith and Coon the decision to join law enforcement came out of a desire to help others.

“The normal cliche answer is to help people. In the end I found out, it’s a very rewarding job, it’s something you do on your own,” Smith said.