Celebrities with roots in Oklahoma City brought their star power to the metro on Friday.
Tisha Campbell works with her brother Stanley Campbell, a former lieutenant with the Oklahoma City Police Department, to provide de-escalation training to law enforcement and people with disabilities.
The staff at the Dale Rogers Training Center in northwest Oklahoma City welcomed Campbell with open arms. Because DRTC trains and employs nationals with disabilities, Ms. Campbell and her brother partnered with her DRTC to provide de-escalation training.
Although she was best known for her roles on television sitcoms, it was Campbell’s role as a mother that brought her back to Oklahoma City, where she grew up.
“My son is actually on the spectrum,” actress Tisha Campbell said. “He’s 22 years old now and he knows what it’s like to have adult children.”
Campbell visited the Dale Rogers Training Center to meet people who have benefited from a program she started with her brother called IDD Safe.
“It’s to take away some of the fear and anxiety that comes with encounters with police,” said Stanley Campbell, a former Oklahoma City police officer.
A program that teaches de-escalation training for people with disabilities and police.
“It comes from something that actually happened to my son,” Campbell said.
The training puts citizens like LaToya in real-life situations with police officers.
“We have to talk to them and not be afraid,” said Latoya, the DRTC official. “Talk to them about what your problems are, etc.”
The first-of-its-kind training will be offered exclusively at DRTC. Campbell is now feeling the impact of the program.
“It’s really important to not only train civilians, but also give that knowledge to police officers,” Campbell said.
Trainees will also be given a safety card that they can place on their car visor.
This card allows police officers to know that they are interacting with a person with a disability.
