WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – A private screening for HBO’s Original Documentary, “Navajo Police: Class 57,” was held Oct. 10 at the Window Rock Cinema, for the Navajo Police Department, Navajo Police Training Academy and HBO Directors/Executive Producers.
The private screening showcased a documentary with three one-hour series. The documentary was a four-year long journey that started in early 2019. However, in 2020, the pandemic hit and it pushed everything back for a year.
When filming the documentary, Director Kahlil Hudson wanted to be sure this was not a documentary that was solely focused on the good guys versus bad guys, like other mainstream law enforcement television series.
“We wanted to do something more nuanced that’s still very exciting and that is about policing but much more intimate,” Kahlil said. “It is about the community and about the uniqueness of the Navajo Police Department and the Training Academy.”
Two of the original recruits from Class 57, now NPD officers, Shawvan Levi and Antwon Gray, were there to see the film. Along with Hudson, the HBO Executive Producers, Dave Nordstrom and Alex Jablonski were also in attendance.
One component the documentary captures, is the dynamics of a relationship between a wife and a NPD officer. For example, NPD Officer Gray and his wife Andrea deal with the challenges of family life but also with the experiences that Officer Gray faces while on shift.
“Most people do not see what officers go through, on the job, on the calls, and at home. They are living two lives. They try to work and then they have a family,” Andrea said. “They don’t understand what they are going through mentally and physically.”
As for Officer Gray, he hopes the community, after viewing the documentary, can have a bit more patience.
“There are a lot of things we go through,” Gray said. “We know our response time is low. There are more officers that we need but we are doing our best.”
The HBO Original Documentary Series Navajo Police: Class 57 debuted Oct. 17.
WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. – A private screening for HBO’s Original Documentary, “Navajo Police: Class 57,” was held Oct. 10 at the Window Rock Cinema, for the Navajo Police Department, Navajo Police Training Academy and HBO Directors/Executive Producers.
The private screening showcased a documentary with three one-hour series. The documentary was a four-year long journey that started in early 2019. However, in 2020, the pandemic hit and it pushed everything back for a year.
When filming the documentary, Director Kahlil Hudson wanted to be sure this was not a documentary that was solely focused on the good guys versus bad guys, like other mainstream law enforcement television series.
“We wanted to do something more nuanced that’s still very exciting and that is about policing but much more intimate,” Kahlil said. “It is about the community and about the uniqueness of the Navajo Police Department and the Training Academy.”
Two of the original recruits from Class 57, now NPD officers, Shawvan Levi and Antwon Gray, were there to see the film. Along with Hudson, the HBO Executive Producers, Dave Nordstrom and Alex Jablonski were also in attendance.
One component the documentary captures, is the dynamics of a relationship between a wife and a NPD officer. For example, NPD Officer Gray and his wife Andrea deal with the challenges of family life but also with the experiences that Officer Gray faces while on shift.
“Most people do not see what officers go through, on the job, on the calls, and at home. They are living two lives. They try to work and then they have a family,” Andrea said. “They don’t understand what they are going through mentally and physically.”
As for Officer Gray, he hopes the community, after viewing the documentary, can have a bit more patience.
“There are a lot of things we go through,” Gray said. “We know our response time is low. There are more officers that we need but we are doing our best.”
The HBO Original Documentary Series Navajo Police: Class 57 debuted Oct. 17.