Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor testified Monday before the President's Task Force on Policing.
Castor is among several chiefs across the country taking part in the public listening session in officer safety.
Castor spoke about practices used by her department to strengthen community relationships while working to keep the public safe.
"In law enforcement, we are only as strong as our relationship with the community," Castor testified. "If they trust us, they will call, text, tweet or message when something is amiss in their neighborhood.
"So, the question that begs to be answered is, how do we build that trust? It begins with understanding ourselves and the citizens we serve."
The task force was established last year following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo.