Spend some time walking the streets in your area. Talk to civilians, just to get to know them and to introduce yourself. When people know the police officers in their community, they'll have a better relationship with them. You'll have a better sense of the community, that will help you protect it and resolve any issues. There are lots of ways for police officers to make a positive impact in their community outside of their regular work. Think of these as opportunities to strengthen ties with the residents of your area, and to help them build trust in their police force. Try things like:  Running a toys for tots drive. Hosting “Shop with a Cop” events at holidays and back-to-school times to help children and families who are financially needy. Volunteering to visit schools, community organizations, religious centers, and other locations to meet people and talk about the work that police officers do. To best serve your community, you need to know as much as possible about it. Talking to individuals face-to-face will tell you something about what's important to them, and what they're concerned about. Getting a big-picture view of your community will also help you serve them with sensitivity. Look at census data and other sources to learn things like:  What is the average age in my community? What age range do the majority of people fall into? What are the gender, race, and ethnicity breakdowns of the population? What is the average household income in the area? Serving a diverse community is the reality for police officers. It's important to identify biases that may impact your thinking so that you can overcome them in order to make good judgments in your police work.  Biases, when unchecked, can lead to problems like racial profiling. Evidence shows that they can be overcome with proper training.  Ask your superiors to host a workshop on diversity to help officers. Invite experts trained in the areas of diversity and biases to come and speak to your force. Sometimes, it's necessary to withhold information from the press, especially for ongoing investigations. Appearing unnecessarily secretive, however, will make it harder for people to trust the police force.  If you can give the media the information they request, do so. If you can't divulge information for any reason, tell them something like “I can't comment on that right now, because the investigation is ongoing. However, I promise to release that information to the public as soon as I am able.”

Summary:
Get out there and talk to the people in your community. Take part in community events. Study the demographics of your community. Learn about biases and how to overcome them. Be as forthcoming as you can with the media.