Residents cheered as a Syracuse officer fell ill during a response on Bellevue Avenue on Monday. It's the latest example of tension between police and the community.

"I heard people just kind of begin to erupt in a 'that's what you get. Now it's one of yours,' " said Solon Quinn of Solon Quinn Studios.

Quinn, a local photographer, was there and took images from the scene.

"I can understand that there is an emotional reaction from both. If I were me and I saw one of my crew members go down and somebody reacted positively to that for any reason, I would have a hard time dealing with that. I also have to keep in mind that people who are on-looking. They are people who have a lot of history ... a lot of feelings and emotions toward police," said Quinn.

Quinn believes open dialogue and awareness could help.

"I don't think there are good people and bad people. I think there are healthy people and unhealthy people, so human beings need to be heard ... In traumatic situations, they need to be healed and if none of that is happening traumatic situation after traumatic situation just pile on top of one another before you know it something breaks," said Quinn.

The issue brought Spectrum News to Cortland, where law enforcement has its own community policing position. It's one of two law enforcement agencies in the state, and so far, it's seen a lot of progress.

"The community has really embraced this position. They see me walking the street, mainly Main Street or can find me walking the different district throughout the City of Cortland," said Jesse Abbott with the Cortland Community Oriented Police Office. "You have to reach out to people who have issues with police. It's really about building those relationships, so the community can trust their officers."

It's a mutual trust with human life at its core.

"Valuing people above sides, I think that's going to be the start," said Quinn.