Humility & Conviction in Public Life

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Firefighters, Police Officers and Paramedics are frequently the first on the scene during our times of crisis. Oftentimes, running towards danger and uncertainty. However, in the course of protecting the lives of fellow citizens and providing much needed services, these professionals routinely encounter a range of difficulties while in the line of duty. One such difficulty has been safeguarding communities from harm while at the same time maintaining strong and positive community relations. In this regard, are we heading in the right direction? First Responders of greater Hartford are invited to join a discussion group organized by the Hartford Public Library and the University of Connecticut’s Humanities Institute. Each monthly meeting will allow Firefighters, Police Officers and Paramedics to read and discuss historical documents, articles, memoirs and stories that speak to the daily lives and experiences of public safety personnel as well as to the people they serve. The goal is to explore the role and resilience of our public servants, our all too human tendency to make mistakes, and our collective responsibilities as members of Hartford's diverse population.

Readings include: Sir Robert Peel 's Principles of Law Enforcement 1829; an Excerpt from Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World (2003) by Tracy Kidder; Letter from Birmingham Jail by Martin Luther King Jr.; excerpts from The Tulsa Race Riot and Three of Its Victims by B.C. Franklin; and Bulletproof Spirit: The First Responder's Essential Resource for Protecting and Healing Mind and Heart by Dan Willis.