The Police and the Community Relationship

(How Can We Make It Work?)

If there is an arc of justice it is created by humans just as the violation of this arc is created by humans.  This arc will be as we citizens demand it to be. The police play a vital role in how this arc works.

Policing should be one of the most respected professions in society.  In American society, it is grossly disrespected and that is largely due to the police who have organized themselves to be an isolated and self-protected social entity. For many citizens, an encounter with the police carries with it a sense of fear and foreboding.  And for people of color it may carry actual life endangerment.

 How do we change this relationship?

Consider what is required of those who become lawyers and judges in the justice system – years of study and apprenticeships.  Why shouldn’t the police, who are responsible for injecting people into the system, have the same high requirements?

The following are a few of my thoughts about necessary changes.  I suggest the changes must be radical if the relationship with the community is to become one of mutual respect and aid.

National Standards

The police normally are tasked with enforcing the law, maintaining order, and investigating crime.

There are over 18,000 police departments in America’s fifty states.  A major problem is that they all operate by different policies and have different requirements for recruitment, training, and operation. Here is a major component to the solution of this problem: The US congress must create a national standardized policy in respect to police qualification, training, and operation.  Such would contribute greatly to both expectations for police behavior and public confidence in that behavior.

Requirements of Candidate Recruitment

In addition to age, citizenship, and a driver’s license, candidates should be required:

• To graduate from the required training academy.
• To pass a civics test that assures an understanding of democratic ideals and citizenry constitutional rights.
• To pass a psychological test that assures appropriate motivation and mental maturity.
• To pass a test in facilitating community relationships.
• To pass a test in diffusing threatening situations.
• To pass a physical test that assures fitness for the job requirement.
• To fall within the criteria that 85% of all officers must live in the community where they work.  Those in the 15% can only be upper echelon.
• To be supervised the first three years by different officers who are specifically suited for training and who make official status reports.

Require an Annual Upgrade for All Officers

• In democratic and constitutional civics.
• In psychological profile.
• In physical health.
• In community relationships.
• In diffusing threatening situations.
• In weapons training.

 Role of the Police Union:

The purpose of this organization must be radically changed from protecting the police to protecting the community. Here is a perspective for this change:

• To protect and enhance the relationship between the police and the community.
• To maintain an open process for community members to communicate concerns and suggestions.
• To hold an annual dialogue session with the community.
• To assure transparency in communication with the public.
• To assure that all employees have adequate community relations training.
• To assure that the criteria for recruitment is met.
• To assure a program of annual quality update training.
• To make recommendations about needed training, programs, and changes.
• To assure that justice is done when there are questions about police conduct.

The Local Review Board:

The Review Board is made up of a select group of upper echelon officers that covers the entire spectrum of police work and which annually reviews the competency status of every officer in the department and makes recommendations for improvement, advancement, and dismissal.

Advanced Education

Officers who continue to improve their skills through advanced education should be given priority in promotion.  Certain educational requirements should be mandated for those who are promoted to upper echelon positions. 

State Review Board:

Every police department in a state should be reviewed and assessed by a State Review Board of qualified persons and citizenry representation every five years, making assessments and recommendations and publishing their findings to the citizenry.

I invite you to add your comments, suggestions, or a critique of my brief listing.

Robert

mythinglink.com

I recently saw this bumper sticker:

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