The US Department of Justice just finished meeting with local leaders.  It's the first time officials from the city, the police department and churches have all been in the same room together to discuss the division some say the shooting has caused.

“We're talking about ways to heal the community and come to some common ground on what changes need to be made,” says NAACP Rockford President Norma Joseph.

“This is the very first meeting we're having together, we've obviously met with the DOJ on an individual basis but this meeting we're having as a community,” says Police Union President Aurelio DeLaRosa.

            It's been three months since the fatal police shooting of Mark Barmore, but the aftermath is still affecting our community.

“It has changed Rockford and I think it has changed how we look at each other,” says Greater Emmanuel Pentecostal Assembly Pastor Annie Davis.

            The community relations service works with communities like Rockford to prevent and resolve racial tensions.  And helps leaders get on the same page.

“We've been very forthcoming as to wanting to make a change and so we're here to try to do our part,” says DeLaRosa.

“I think that the police department and the community and the social service agencies need to have a greater and better relationship for working together on handling peoples problems in the community,” says Davis.

            While they're agreeing to work together, they see the problem differently

“I look around and I really don’t believe it’s divided the community, it’s raised some questions but for the most part its business as usual."

“I would like to see a more peaceful Rockford, a community not divided, because we are divided,” says Davis.

Local leaders say the talks show progress, but they're no where near over.  Their next meeting date has not been set, but the department of justice will be back soon.