Pacifica Institute hosted an annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Dinner in honor of the Berkeley Police Department for their great service and dedication to community. The guest of honor at the dinner was Berkeley Police Department’s Chief Michael K. Meehan along with the members of the police department and  Berkeley District 7 Council Member Kriss Worthington. They were all invited for an evening of acknowledgement for their efforts in keeping our community safe. We are fortunate, in this community, to have a police department which invokes such feelings of pride. Every day they risk their lives to protect the citizens of our East Bay community and we are grateful.

Event was originally planned as Ramadan iftar, so we started the evening off with a brief introductory video on Ramadan and fasting in Islam. After hearing the azan (call to prayer) we shared an intimate meal. The conversation around the dinner table covered everything from law enforcement in the United States and Turkey, traditional family meals, the value of multiculturalism, and ways in which we can serve the community. After our meal, guests shared their reflections. Chief Michael Meehan commented on the importance of this kind of events to bring community and department together to increase the harmony in the society.

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