Brooks nodded.
And for the first time, she felt that the experience had become something they could discuss without being overwhelmed by anger.
A few weeks later, the department completed another scheduled review of its revised procedures.
The assessment included anonymized examples of routine calls where officers encountered conflicting information.
In one case, a homeowner's security alarm activated while a family member entered with permission.
The responding officers checked the available information, confirmed the person's authorization, and ended the encounter without unnecessary escalation.
In another, a patrol officer questioned a man reported as suspicious near a business, then reassessed the situation after obtaining reliable information about his employment.
Neither incident became news.
No one posted dramatic videos.
And no senior official needed to appear at the scene.
Naomi considered that a meaningful form of progress.
The purpose of good procedure wasn't to create heroic moments.
It was to prevent avoidable harm during ordinary encounters.
She knew the department couldn't eliminate every error.
People would still make imperfect decisions.
Officers would still face uncertain, stressful situations.
And legitimate public criticism would continue.
But an institution could become better at recognizing mistakes, correcting them, and refusing to reward unnecessary aggression.
The external review also continued evaluating whether residents understood how to report concerns and whether supervisors followed the revised complaint process consistently.
Naomi supported the ongoing oversight.
She didn't want the department to declare victory and stop examining itself.
Her own experience had shown how dangerous complacency could become.
That summer, Naomi visited a community meeting attended by Teresa Alvarez, Darius Coleman, and several other residents who had participated in the review process.
The atmosphere was noticeably different from the first difficult gathering.
People still disagreed.
Some wanted stronger changes.
Others worried about how new procedures affected officers' ability to respond quickly.
Naomi listened to both perspectives.
Near the end, Teresa approached her.
"Chief Carter?"
Naomi smiled.
"Teresa."
The older woman looked toward the meeting room.
"I wanted to tell you something."
Naomi waited.
Teresa explained that she'd recently encountered officers while entering a client's residence late at night.
A neighbor had misunderstood why someone was arriving after midnight and called for assistance.
The responding officers approached cautiously.
They asked questions.
Teresa provided identification and contact information.
And they verified the situation without treating her answers as defiance.
The encounter ended politely.
Naomi smiled.
"I'm glad."
Teresa nodded.
Then hesitated.
"I don't know whether it's because of the changes."
Naomi considered that.
"Maybe. Maybe those officers would've handled it well before."
Teresa smiled.
"Either way, it was how it should be."
For a moment, Naomi felt unexpectedly emotional.