Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety Dan McGinnis and Benton Township Police Chief Greg Abrams highlighted efforts to better collaborate during the latest Chat with the Chief webcast on Thursday.

Chat with the Chief is a program started by McGinnis to talk with the public about issues of concern and about department operations each week. During Thursday’s chat, Chief Abrams said Benton Harbor and Benton Township have been approaching law enforcement as one since he came on board.

“The relationship between the township and the city has been strained for many, many years. Everyone knows that,” Abrams said. “It was almost like the city was off limits or the township was off limits, depending on where you lived. And with you and I coming together, we’ve taken a lot of the stigma out of the jurisdictional lines that’s always kept us apart.”

Abrams said the two communities are really more like one, especially considering the ease with which a criminal suspect can cross from one into another.

McGinnis said to fight crime, the two departments must rely on each other.

McGinnis plans to broadcast Chat with the Chief every Thursday at 1 p.m. on Facebook and YouTube.