The police and the minority communities in Elkhart, Indiana came together to forge a stronger bond and address the different issues in the city. From immigrant issues to unjust treatment at the hands of the police department, the locals took to the podium to air their concerns in a public meeting at the Tolson Community and Youth Center.

Organized by Latino community advocate Delia Vazquez, the gathering saw around 50 attendees including Elkhart Mayor Tim Neese, Elkhart Police Chief Ed Windbigler, a representative from the Mexican Consulate in Chicago, immigration attorney Felipe Merino, Windbigler and Neese.

One of the main issues that was brought up by the community were the fear of undocumented immigrants of being caught driving without a license. The crime could get them jailed and eventually deported.

"I drive every day full of fear that they'll give me a ticket," Belen Santiago stated during the gathering with the city officials.

The group also discussed other significant issues that plague the community including police treatment of Latinos and the shaky bond between the Elkhart police and the local Latino community. There are also locals who said that some members of the police force are guilty of illegally profiling Latinos.

No specific solutions were promised or concretized during the get-together, but those who were present revealed that it was only the first step in the efforts to building a better connection across the city.

Francisco Collio, pastor at El Refugio Baptist Church, kicked off the meeting by explaining what the various groups hoped to achieve.

"We want to have a relationship, the Hispanic community, with all the authorities here," Collio explained.

The police chief expressed a similar sentiment, saying the meeting was "a starting point" in fixing the problems between his department and the Latinos. He also called for the creation of a special committee to address the issues that have been discussed by the city representatives, adding that he would be supportive if the state allowed undocumented immigrants to get their drivers' licenses.

"There will have to be many more meetings like this so we can keep the door open and do something," Windbigler said. "The bottom line is we have to explore what we can do to make things better for everybody."

Lupita Zepeda, one of the active Latino community members, suggested cultural training for police who deal with minorities such as Latinos and African-Americans. Windbigler revealed that this is something he would consider doing.