I have instructed offi cers in several states this year. They gave chilly, somewhat cynical feedback to the suggestions of the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. Their re- action was disappointing, but not surprising since employees tend to become jaded, regardless of the profession.
The Unacknowledged Obstacle Many of the officers who have not been receptive to the recommendations of the national commissions feel unap- preciated and frustrated. Virtually all officers and depu- ties experience more negative stress from their agency than from simply doing their job. It is harder for officers to con- vey kindness and understanding toward aggressive, argu- mentative people when the officer is already frustrated and cynical about their work environment.
As a profession, law enforcement needs to take the lead in repairing racial hostility, but many cynical officers are skeptical. They call de-escalation training ‘Hug a Thug’ instruction. Their viewpoint will not change until admin- istrators address the reasons for the cynicism; the poor com- munication, bad morale, and lack of trust. The likelihood that officers will work to build trust during their contacts with black citizens will increase when personnel realize their leaders are fixing the problems that demoralize them.
The Danger
Body cameras have extraordinary value. Every agency should have them. Community programs such as ‘Breakfast With a Cop’ also have great benefi t. They are not, however, a lasting solution to the police/black citizen clashes. Although cameras are excellent documentation of confl ict, they will not stop it. Moreover, they create the danger that police leaders will accept body cameras as a suffi cient resolution, and then never work on the real countermeasure. The actual answer is complicated and time-consuming, but achievable.
The Answer Fractured racial relations with law enforcement will exist until blacks trust their police. There is no quick way to ac- complish this. Some police officers are good at building trusting relationships as they are warm, caring people. Oth- ers are not. The needed level of confidence will only come when officers take advantage of their endless opportunities to build trust during personal contact with blacks. Undoing decades of distrust requires years of positive police/citizen interactions.
Most sheriffs and police chiefs are very dedicated and will still work tirelessly to build the needed trust, but some administrators will not. Deadly incidents and racial distur- bances will continue until top law enforcement leaders fol-
low a standardized plan that first resolves the problem’s ‘root causes’ and acknowledges in some cities resolution will take years, and in others it may require decades. Until then, death and division will continue.
The Plan
The steps in resolving this are as numerous as the issue is complex: 1) Conduct a confidential employee survey of morale, communication, and employee trust; 2) Adminis- trators lead meetings with workers to discuss survey find- ings; 3) Goals to improve employee communication, trust and morale are established; and 4) Employee groups are established to accomplish the goals.
Then, 5) Conduct quality de-escalation training, includ- ing discussion of how top leaders are holding themselves accountable for fixing problems. Officers should commit to developing trusting relationships with people of color, and 6) written ‘progressive discipline’ policies are consistently enforced. Infractions such as discourtesy with citizens are sometimes not imposed by sergeants. Some supervisors want to be liked more than they want to be a leader. Then, 7) Personnel who continually show kindness to- ward citizens are given awards and high consideration for promotions and transfers, citizen compliments, per- formance evaluations, and internal commendations are tracked and 8) Employees establish performance standards for themselves. They commit to taking the first step to hav- ing more productive conversations with black citizens.
Decisions With Huge Impact For the Future
The choices we make reveal the true nature of our character. Whether America will have less police/black citizen con- flict in the future is dependent upon the decisions of three groups. Will law enforcement administrators conduct em- ployee surveys on morale, communication, and trust, then achieve goals to enhance them? In doing so, they will role- model self-accountability. Will officers hold themselves ac- countable for replacing hostility with trusting relationships, while on patrol? Will people of color be receptive toward the police who are trying to overcome the racial divide?
Neal Trautman, Ph.D., was a police officer for 16 years, has authored 10 books, written 64 arrticles, chaired the IACP Ethics Training Committee, co-chaired the IACP Police Image and Ethics Committee, and has instructed over 1,000 seminars and conference presentations. He may be reached at
nealtrautman@cableone.net.
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