Norwich — A community conversation on “Race, Policing and Violence” Tuesday evening quickly expanded into discussions of segregated social and school environments, how schools can connect with students' families as well as police interactions with the public.

More than 70 people attended the workshop at the Rose City Senior Center that included small group sessions on various topics to define “what's working” and what should be done in the future to reduce friction between police and the public.

In opening remarks, the Rev. Gregory Perry and Norwich NAACP President Jacqueline Owens stressed the importance of being able to listen to people — especially those who do not share the same views, ethnic background or even age group. People find it easy, Perry said, to listen to voices they agree with and can ignore voices of others. That trend, he said, opens a path toward violence.

“Our capacity to listen has been diminished,” Perry said.

France Stephanos, a woman of French and Japanese descent, said in her former home city of Houston, Texas, police violence against African Americans dropped when the city elected a woman mayor and appointed its first African American police chief. Stephanos is puzzled why racism prevails in a country with an African American president and many minorities in high public office and skilled positions.

“I really don't understand why this is going on,” Stephanos said. “I'm talking about the problem of black versus white. It's not how it's supposed to be.”

Norwich Free Academy senior Sariah Poe gave the group a lesson in “self segregation.” Last week for a sociology class, Poe surveyed 44 NFA students of all grades on why the school cafeteria is segregated, with a wall that partially divides the room into the “white side” and the “black side.”

She said 86 percent of respondents agreed the cafeteria is segregated, but they also went along with it, explaining “it's always been that way.” Poe said suggestions for changing it included having classes sit together or “take down the wall.”

In a different discussion session on policy, Norwich resident Shiela Hayes said downtown security cameras have reduced crime and helped people feel safe. Hayes was pleased that police agreed to submit its policy to the American Civil Liberties Union for review, and it was acceptable.

Police Capt. Christopher Ferace said it's important for people to know “they're security cameras, not surveillance cameras.”

In presenting the group's findings to the full group, resident Robert Groner said the controversy over police body cameras is complex and expensive. The ACLU has opposed the cameras, and Norwich has hesitated because of the cost and training requirements.

The group also cited the return of community policing in 2010 for fostering good relations with the public, Groner said, and Norwich police have long maintained good relations with local ethnic groups.

At the early intervention group, former Norwich school family liaison Teriko Satterfield recalled a school-family forum at the start of one school year, when school officials promised to visit students' homes to get to know their families and concerns.

At the end of the school year, Satterfield said, a parent came to him and said no one from the school system ever visited their home. By then, he said, it was too late. The school year had ended.

c.bessette@theday.com