The four-part program will bring residents, teens, police officers and library staff together beginning Sept. 23 for book-centered conversations about trust, leadership, public service and community relationships.

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The Jersey City Free Public Library and Jersey City Police Department are launching a new reading and discussion series aimed at creating conversations between residents and the officers who serve their neighborhoods.

Books & Badges will begin Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Miller Branch Library and continue through December at four library locations across the city.

The program is open to Jersey City residents and teens 15 and older and will bring participants together with library staff and law enforcement professionals to discuss leadership, trust, identity, communication, public service and belonging.

Organizers expect difficult conversations

Lt. Collin Congleton of the Jersey City Police Department developed the program and will help facilitate the discussions alongside Tony Williams, manager of social services for the library.

“We may have some difficult conversations, and that’s OK. In some cases, they’re long overdue,” Congleton said.

He said the goal is to give officers and residents opportunities to exchange ideas and better understand one another.

“Books and Badges is about creating opportunities for our officers and community members to engage in meaningful dialogue, exchange ideas, and better understand one another’s perspectives,” Congleton said.

Four discussions planned through December

The series begins at Miller Branch Library from 5 to 6 p.m. Sept. 23.

Additional sessions are scheduled for:

• Earl A. Morgan Branch — Oct. 28, 5 to 6 p.m.
• Communipaw Branch — Nov. 17, 6 to 7 p.m.
• Priscilla Gardner Main Library — Dec. 17, 6 to 7 p.m.

The library has also assembled a recommended reading list covering policing, leadership, communication, institutional change and community engagement.

Selections range from The Constitution of the United States and Joseph Wambaugh’s The New Centurions to Bill Bratton’s The Profession, Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People and Gavin de Becker’s The Gift of Fear.

Books on military leadership, negotiation, critical thinking and organizational management are also included.

Mayor says trust is central to public safety

Mayor James Solomon said public safety requires relationships between police and the residents they serve.

“Building a safer community takes more than policing alone,” Solomon said. “Our residents are among our most important public safety partners, but that depends on the level of trust and strong relationships established between the community and our police officers.”

Solomon described Books & Badges as a way to bring both groups together to discuss difficult issues rather than limiting contact to emergencies or enforcement situations.

Jersey City Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose similarly said strong relationships depend on “open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to listen.”

“Books and Badges will give residents and officers an opportunity to learn from one another, better understand different perspectives, and build much-needed trust,” Ambrose said.

Library sees books as starting point for dialogue

Williams said the program grew from the idea that literature can make difficult conversations easier to begin.

“Too often, community members and law enforcement encounter one another only during challenging moments, so I wanted to create an opportunity for people to sit together, listen, and learn from one another,” Williams said.

He said the objective is not to force agreement among participants.

“I hope this series helps build greater understanding — not by expecting everyone to agree, but by making room for honest and respectful dialogue,” Williams said.

For the library, Williams said the program also fits its broader role as a community meeting place where residents can encounter perspectives different from their own.

“Ultimately, Books & Badges is about building trust one conversation at a time,” he said.