Emily Wainwright
April 13, 2023
CRM 420
Dr. Smith
Final Paper Organization and Assignment
Office Improvement Initiative (OII) Policy: Police Education Reform
Introduction
Police officers from state or local municipalities should be required to possess a bachelor's degree before they are brought onto the force. Education is power and law enforcement holds power so they should be held to a higher education standard in order to perform their duties. Holding officers to a higher education standard can decrease officer use of force, produce less authoritarian officers, decrease disciplinary actions and can lessen the incidents of using deadly force.
Literature Review
Police requirements are very standard across the country. The requirements are
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Through this new education requirement, it will produce a higher caliber of officers for departments to hire. My target population will be lawmakers, police officers and the public. My goal is to increase the education requirement for police officers. My objective to achieve this is through writing a policy within Pennsylvania that increases the education levels of police officers. Once the legislation is in place, the effects will begin at the consortium testing for individuals to become police officers. (Decrease use of force by _____%, Departments are already struggling to hire, wouldn't this decrease new hires even more?, Current police officer job rates, and projected job rates, Current rates of college goers, current stats on criminology or criminal justice …show more content…
D. (2019). Perceived value of higher education among police officers: Comparing county and municipal officers. Journal of Criminal Justice Education, 30(4), 606-620.
Discoverpolicing.org. (n.d.). Basic Requirements . https://www.discoverpolicing.org/about-policing/basic-requirements/
Hooper, M. K. (1988). The relationship of college education to police officer job performance. The Claremont Graduate University.
Kimberling, R. C. (2020, June 24). College for cops? studies show it helps their behavior, stress levels. The Hill. https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/504075-college-for-cops-studies-show-it-helps-their-behavior-stress-levels/
Manis, J., Archbold, C. A., & Hassell, K. D. (2008). Exploring the impact of police officer education level on allegations of police misconduct. International Journal of Police Science & Management, 10(4), 509-523.
Mekouar, D. (2020, August 24). Are college-educated police officers less likely to use force? VOA. https://www.voanews.com/a/usa_all-about-america_are-college-educated-police-officers-less-likely-use-force/6194798.html
Municipal Police Officers' Education and Training Commission. (n.d.). MPOETC Home.
Police ethics training is a vital aspect needed to comprise a successful and principled police department. The required reading for a police ethics training course must be compelling and relatable for police officers to identify with the material and grasp its importance. Therefore, I would require police officers to read Brotherhood of Corruption, Walking with the Devil, chapter one: Introduction to the New Police Accountability in the book The New World of Police Accountability, and chapter three: Police Ethics: Use of Force, Investigations, Interrogations, and Lying in the Criminal Justice Ethics textbook by Cyndi Banks. All four of these readings cover a variety of topics that are essential for police officers to be knowledgeable of. The
He finds that when the police are viewed as legitimate, members of the public are more likely to comply with the law and cooperate with the police in solving crimes. He points out that “studies also support the argument that single experiences can have an impact on attitudes or behaviors [with police] (Tyler 36). He also highlights the impact of social and economic conditions on policing, such as poverty, unemployment, and racial inequality. He argues that these factors can contribute to negative perceptions of the police and undermine trust in law enforcement.
Educating police officers regarding the use of force is one thing, but how much training is geared towards cultural/ethnic diversity and community mediation skills?
In addition to these notes, Hryniewicz has produced policy recommendations in the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, Violence & Victims, Society & Mental Health, Health Sociology Review, Contemporary Justice Review, and many more (“Danielle Hryniewicz” 1). On the other side of the debate, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, David A. Klinger, supports reform through the police force in his article, "Police Training As An Instrument Of Accountability," issued by the St. Louis University Public Law Review in 2012. Along with his specialization in policing, terrorism, and the use of deadly force, Klinger possesses the experience of a patrol officer for the Los Angeles and Redmond Police Departments ("David A. Klinger, Professor" 1). With Hyrniewicz’s perspective of police brutality as a social issue which can be prevented through civilian oversight, and Klinger’s belief that it is a psychological issue resolved by refining police training, the two authors also disagree on who should be responsible for the reform that reclaims police accountability and
Police officers are sworn in with the responsibility of serving and protecting the public. Members of the public expect their local police departments to keep their community safe, and protect them from danger and harm. Lately, police-citizen relationships have been strained as a result of problematic police behaviors and citizen encounters. Police use-of-force has become a pressing issue in modern society and has caused distrust and a lack of confidence in law enforcement agencies. Tragedies such as the deaths of Michael Brown, Erick Garner, and Sandra Bland has fueled the public’s outrage and suspicion of local police officers.
This issue has had a disproportionate impact on people of color, particularly Black Americans, and has eroded trust in law enforcement agencies. Urgent action is necessary to address this issue and to rebuild trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. This will require a multi-pronged approach that includes reforming police training, implementing accountability measures, and enacting new laws and policies. addressing the issue of excessive use of force by law enforcement requires a comprehensive approach that involves multiple stakeholders, including law enforcement agencies, policymakers, community members, and mental health professionals. By implementing reforms to police training, increasing accountability measures, enacting new laws and policies, promoting diversity within law enforcement, and prioritizing community-based solutions, we can work towards a future in which police violence is no longer a pervasive issue in our society.
Police departments with culture that tolerates and overlooks misconduct, lack of accountability, and inadequate training contribute to a higher likelihood of police brutality. Additionally, the systematic racism deeply ingrained in society affects law enforcement institutions (Police brutality is a global problem.). Structural issues within law enforcement like policies, procedures and practices that prioritize aggressive policing and heavily relying on force, can contribute to a higher incidence of police
Implementing policies that require police officers to receive adequate training in areas such as de-escalation techniques, implicit bias, and nonviolent conflict resolution, and ensuring that police officers are held accountable for any misconduct or excessive use of force through independent oversight and investigation are important steps in police system
With approximately 18,000 police agencies operating in the United States, is reform even possible? I conducted a survey with both black and white respondents. The survey includes demographic information and a few questions that ties together the respondents demographic information and their thoughts of the police. In addition, I will discuss innovative strategies to improve the relationship between police and people
So, when it comes to good judgment, having all this indispensable knowledge stored away benefits not only the individual at hand, but also the community around them. In the context of policing, the importance of education is beyond evident. When the US is being compared to other developed countries in terms of the minimal required educational standards for joining the police force, there's a substantial irregularity. For instance, for most forces in the US “[they] just require the equivalent of a high-school diploma” while in many other countries “officers [are required] to have a university degree - or equivalent - before joining the police” (Doc. A).
Officer training and supervision are highlighted in a report created by a working group of mayors and police chiefs from the United States Conference of Mayors under improving police department procedures. This paper includes a set of ideas for bettering community policing. According to the paper, "training should encompass more than policing methods" (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2015). The paper emphasizes the significance of police personnel knowing their position in society and emphasizing community participation. "Training must focus on reducing unjustified use of force, and officers should be given alternatives to the use of deadly firearms" (U.S. Conference of Mayors, 2015).
Police organizations have been evolving over the years, but still there are so many things that have to be address in order to create a better law enforcement institutions. Police misconduct and police brutality have been the center of many confrontations between police officer and society. It is imperative that police organizations change the police subculture that exist among them that protects any wrongdoing from being disclose in order to promote a more efficient service to society. In the process of doing this assignment I learned how cohesive is the relationship between officers that most of the times protect them when they are acting in a misbehave way. It is really impressive to see how one officer was seen as a traitor in the organization because he decided to report police brutality.
Although some people may challenge that diversifying police officers will not make a difference in the relationship with communities, police departments mirroring the diversity of communities may mend tension. Notably, the lack of minorities in law enforcement derives from distrust between minorities in communities and law enforcement. In detail, with more policing predicaments emerging, such as police brutality over the recent years, minorities have been more hesitant to join police force due to their
A career in policing requires an individual to meet a high standard for character and demonstrated behavior, in order to be developed into an effective officer. Succeeding in a police academy requires the candidate to display and apply integrity, a skill which must be developed before receiving admission. Integrity demonstrated through a police officer’s personal life, provides the foundation for a respected career. When presented with the opportunity to leverage a peace officer’s position for personal profit, an individual who has previously made selfless choices, is more reliable for operating within the law. Integrity as a term has the social implication of following ones beliefs, regardless of the opposition.
It is easy to learn about a subject from a book, but it is an entirely different matter to learn about a subject through real life experience. I hope to learn how to serve and protect while implementing the law correctly, especially in today’s world when the level of support for police officers is very low and the level of misconduct cases concerning the police are very high. It is not easy to know what to do in every situation, especially when some reactions are needed with very little or no time to think about. It is one thing to hear about a crime happening and the response that would be best to give, and another thing to need