(Editor's note: This is the second in a series of short pieces about what Thanksgiving means to some Oakland leaders. Rashidah Grinage is the Executive Director of PUEBLO in East Oakland.)

As Oakland citizens wrap their heads around the role of police in the community, one local organization is working to improve citizen-police relations through research.

What do Oakland high students think about our local police?  In the spring of this year, PUEBLO - People United for a Better Life in Oakland - distributed more than 800 surveys to local high school students. The surveys were based on an adult questionnaire that was originally given by PUEBLO in 2005. They include questions on the public's experiences with the police like "Would you describe your most recent contact with Oakland police as positive or negative?" Several questions also asked about the public's perceptions of the police. For example, "When you see the police in your neighborhood, what is your first reaction?"