Being a Latino gay man, finding a place where I could be myself was always a struggle. I was always too feminine to be a ‘macho’ man, but too masculine to be ‘gay’. My intersecting identities left me without a sense of community and I felt so alone. This feeling of loneliness turned into dread as I realized the profession that I wanted to enter was not the most accepting. It was hyper-masculine, strict, heteronormative and most of all, dangerous. Would my fellow officers have my back if something were to happen? Of course, these thoughts seem ridiculous and dramatic, especially since it’s 2017. Still, I can’t help but think of life or death situations. It wasn’t until I met gay and Latino cops that my anxiety eased up and eventually faded. Hearing about the struggles they had growing up and the challenges they faced when they first began their careers as cops inspired and gave me strength. I finally met people like me and they understood how I felt, and they told me that while it is hard, it will get better. Without these interactions, I don’t think I could’ve mustered up the courage or conviction to become a Police Officer. I think this was where I realized how important having diversity in law enforcement is. I believe people, like me, are going to be more responsive to officers who they identify with; officers who come from their respective community’s. When you make a personal connection to a police officer, you start to see the officer as a human being, and not just some cold, robotic, government official. You start to respect and admire them for the demanding and challenging work that they do. In recent years, police related accidents has devastated police relations with minority communities. In turn, this has created animosity between these communities. My friends and family think I am crazy for wanting to be a police officer because of these events, but I think there is no better time. My country is hurting and I need to help. If I, as a police officer, can inspire and reach out to minorities like me and deter them from crime then my job is complete. It may be hard assimilating into police culture, but that is only more of a reason to join and make it so future youth know that they can join no matter who they are or where they come from.
Hypothesis
Will police departments serve their communities better if they are reflective of the community they serve?
Variables
Independent: Number of minority officers (African American, Hispanic, Asian, LGBT, women)
Dependent: Crime rate
Method
The method by which I have chosen to complete this paper is a literature review. After careful consideration and looking at the research available, I realized that there was a plethora of information to understand and organize. Diversity is a vague term by itself, even more so in its application by different researchers around the globe. When it’s applied to social science research, there is no one definite meaning and therefore takes some time to get a general idea. In addition, recruiting, hiring, and retention practices differ greatly among municipalities, cities and states. For these reasons and many more, I believe it is best if see what information is out there to get a firm grasp on the situation. I am using a mix of peer reviewed articles and government reports to research this paper.
Part II
Intro
‘Law enforcement agencies should strive to create a workforce that contains a broad range of diversity including race, gender, language, life experience, and cultural background to improve understanding and effectiveness in dealing with all communities.’ (Final report of the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing, 2015). In the Law Enforcement field, there is a consensus that diversity plays a key role in police-community relations, deterring crime, and encouraging minorities to become part of the force. Recent police shootings, most notably Ferguson, brought these issues to the national spotlight. Since the Civil Rights Era and some would even say since the history of U.S. law enforcement started, diversifying police forces has long been a goal that agencies have been trying to achieve; and for good reason. Gustafson writes, ‘President Johnson's Kerner Commission found ‘deep hostility between police and ghetto communities’ to be a major cause of ‘ ‘grievance, tension, and ultimately disorder’.’ (Gustafson, J., 2013). Diversity in municipal police agencies: A national examination of minority hiring and promotion) This ‘hostility’ in communities is why many police agencies across the country have been trying to hire minority officers. However, while police diversification does have violence prevention benefits, many still question its effect and importance. Does police diversification reduce the threat of violence, increase officer safety or repair broken ties with the community? How do police departments effectively recruit, hire and retain minorities? Will it make a difference?
These are just a few of the many questions law enforcement agencies across the country are struggling to answer as they try to make their agencies reflect the communities they serve. Research has shown that people associate a diverse and inclusive police force with being relatable, impartial, fair, and trustworthy. (Gustafson, J., 2013) These associations are consistent with the belief that police should be connected to the community they serve in order to maximize safety and reduce crime. However, is there evidence to support this belief?
Literature review
For people who want to become police officers, it can be a long and arduous process. This process differs from state to state and from agency to agency but all share the same basic track. Officers need to take a standardized test or apply with a resume. From there, the applicant pool gets slimmed down through different screening measures including a criminal history check and federal and international criminal databases to make sure they are good candidates. These candidates are then invited to interview and subject to an intense background investigation. If candidates get past this round, they must past a series of tests. These include, but are not limited to, a physical exam, a medical exam, a psychological exam and a lie detector test. If they pass these exams, then they are sent to training, referred to in some states as the academy. This training can last anywhere from two months to six months. Not every candidate that gets into the academy ends up passing it. The ones that do, however, become newly minted officers.
As one can imagine, this process is very stressful to hopeful recruits. But before any hiring happens, police departments need to get people to apply, they need to get people excited and informed about the realities of policing, especially to minority groups, who may feel alienated and victimized. It’s hard for police departments all over the county to separate themselves from the horrible police involved shootings that have happened. This negative media presence has a direct influence on how police are seen and interacted with, especially from the point of view of underrepresented populations. Women, African Americans, Hispanics and the LGBT community may be dissuaded from applying to become police officers if they see someone like them being mistreated on television or news. In addition, some may not even know that there are opportunities due to no advertisement or outreach to their respective communities. (U.S. Department of Justice, & U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2016)
Police departments all over the country want minorities to apply and for good reason. Research had shown that female officers are just as competent in completing their duties as their male-counterparts, rely less on physical and deadly force and are more focused on communication and cooperation. In addition, having multi-lingual officers expands the amount of successful interactions with citizens who have limited English-speaking capabilities.
In an effort to recruit minorities into the workforce, police departments have been trying many different methods and programs. Citizen Police Academies, or CPA’s, are programs used by departments all over the country in order to educate the public about law enforcement and improve community-police relationships. The first U.S. CPA was created by the Orlando Police Department in Florida in 1985 to provide citizens with an understanding of police operations and how crime happens.
‘During the course of the citizen police academy, not only will participants have opportunities’to patrol with police officers, solve mock crime scenes, or attend moot court’ [they may also take] classes on drugs and drug task forces, criminal law and procedure, crime investigation, crime scene investigation, juvenile justice, and other legal issues.’ (Lee, T. L. (2016). Tennessee citizen police academies: Program and participant characteristics. American Journal of Criminal Justice)
Through teaching the public about the risks and procedures associated with policing, departments want to lend a helping hand and lay the groundwork for teamwork and understanding. They want people to know that is it a challenging profession but that it can be done in an honorable and honest way, contrary to what some participants might think. Furthermore, departments can tailor their CPA to the needs of their community, making it a very flexible tool in their arsenal. For example, although 42-year-old men are the average participants for these academies, Police Departments can make a CPA just for women, teens, juveniles, Hispanics etc. (Lee, T. L., 2016)
However, just because these programs are an option doesn’t mean that they are full proof. Lee explains that CPA’s sometimes are not enough to build the multicultural gap between police and historically disenfranchised communities such as African Americans, the LGBT community, Hispanics and women given the treatment of these groups by police. Many CPA programs only recruit prominent members of the community and may ignore those of poor backgrounds. In addition, some doubt the true motives of CPA’s as departments may just host an academy as a publicity stunt or to advance their interests. (Lee, T. L., 2016)
CPA’s are just one way to engage the community in law enforcement and get recruits. The Worcester Police Department in Massachusetts has it’s officers directly talk to community leaders, local colleges, faith based organizations, social service agencies and minority owned businesses. In addition to doing this work, they also conduct workshop where they have presentations about upcoming exams and offer advice and guidance to any students who are thinking about joining the force. The Sacramento Police department in California holds hiring workshops tailored for certain populations and communities that inform people on the process of becoming a police officer. They also conduct a ride along and a ‘Ride with a Recruiter’ program where interested citizens can interact with police in a non-formal setting and ask any questions they have about requirements, tests, physical fitness etc. The Madison Police Department in Wisconsin, makes is mandatory for all its officers to participate in recruitment efforts and divides the officer into different recruitment groups based on the demographics of the community, the need of the department, geography and diverse backgrounds. Each group needs to develop stratagems on how to reach their specific population and update those strategies constantly. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Some departments take it a step further and make business partnerships with local colleges and community centers to increase outreach and education amongst vulnerable populations. This approach simultaneously breaks down negative stereotypes and trains possible applicants about a career in law enforcement. The Detroit Police Department in Michigan teaches elective classes in local high schools targeting minorities concerning issues in law enforcement, being truthful during polygraph exams, previous drug usage, and the importance of good credit. They also make the students right essays about the changes they want to see in their city. These classes allow officers to counsel and educate youth directly and make the transition to law enforcement as smooth as possible. The District of Columbia Police Department runs a Police Cadet Training program aimed at local minority youth aged 17-25. This program encourages cadets to earn credit at a community college to strengthen their skills with the goal of recruiting them in to the police department. The Chattanooga Police Department in Tennessee conducts a paid internship program for minorities who are interested in law enforcement, mentoring and navigating them though the do’s and don’ts of the hiring process, examinations and fitness. The Oakland Police department in California offers a 13-week course through a partnership with a local college to all members of the community. Its purpose is to give participants an immersive and in-depth experience into what police officers do. The class visits local jails, takes a driving a course, and learn about the many barriers that woman and people of color face in society. (U.S. Department of Justice)
As mentioned earlier, this is not by any means an exhaustive list of recruiting methods used by Police Departments; nor does it mean that all Police Departments use these methods. It does, however, suggest that Police Departments all over the country are making strides to diversify their ranks and are conscious of the fact that representation amongst police matters to the people they serve. Nevertheless, there are still those that believe that representation does not and will never make the relationship between the police and the community amicable. Smith writes ‘…the police'[represent] the larger establishment and ‘will never be popular at least with certain segments of the racial minorities’ much of the tension between police and community is simply a consequence of the police role’.’ In other words, even though Police Departments are trying to diversify themselves and connect with the community, it may be the fact that they are responsible for policing our actions that there is tension between police and community. (Smith, B. W. (2003). The impact of police officer diversity on police-caused homicides.)
Beyond the barrier of recruitment and getting people interested in a career in policing, the hiring process is just as challenging. For most Police Departments, this process of selecting, screening, hiring and training applicants can take months and sometimes over a year. While hiring practices vary from department to department, most have multiple practices in common such as an exam or application; medical, physical and psychological exams, background checks, driving record check, education or military service check and if one passes all that they get sent to the academy where they train for around 6 months. In addition, many departments, depending on the hiring requirements of their jurisdiction, need to supply a diverse workforce due to laws or decrees passed. Similarly, some departments take initiative and start to hire diverse officers themselves.
However, with that goal comes much criticism. Fan writes ‘Law enforcement leaders and cities pursuing minority-preferential hiring and promotion policies may be held liable for compensatory and punitive damages to other candidates unless their practices pass strict scrutiny.’ (Fan, M. D. (2015). Violence and police diversity: A call for research. Brigham Young University Law Review, 2015) It is no secret that being a Police Officer is hard work; it isn’t for the faint of heart. The long and arduous process is justified because it weeds out all those that are deemed unfit to do the job. Many cities and towns across the country fear that diversifying their work force will come with compromising safety and sacrificing quality. They feel as though they will have to lower standards to allow minority officers to come in. In a system that already punishes minorities, these beliefs and perceptions only hinders them more from being considered for officer positions.
For example, women, who are otherwise qualified for the job, may be discouraged from applying to be officers because of the overemphasis put on physical strength. It is not the test itself that is the problem, but rather the administration of it that sets women back from applying. Written tests, such as civil service, supposedly test for skills that police officers need while on the job. However, according to Kringen, these exams only push minorities away. She writes ‘The tests themselves may disproportionally disqualify Black applicants due to potential bias in instrumentation.’ (Kringen, A. L. (2016). Examining the Relationship Between Civil Service Commissions and Municipal Police Diversity) A veteran’s preference is one such instrument of the exam and how institutional barriers are put up that hurt diversifying Police Departments. Veterans are given extra points on the exam which may be crucial to getting the job, disqualifying people who did good, but simply were not veterans. In addition, most veterans are White males, with only about 15% being women, unfairly benefitting men and keeping departments all over the country unable to diversify. A criminal background check, which is usually standard hiring procedure, disqualifies many people of color, especially Black and Hispanics, because of their increased contact with the Criminal Justice system. Sometimes just being honest about former drug use may be enough to disqualify an applicant. This fear incentivizes people to lie during the hiring process, especially minorities. A credit check has the same effect, as people who have a low income have a lower credit score, which may be perceived as bad. (U.S. Department of Justice)
These factors are just the tip of the mountain, however. Residency preferences have also been shown to discriminate in affluent neighborhoods. Since people of color and women often make less money than Whites and therefore are cut from applying. Not to mention, the costly and long hiring process is a major obstacle to people who don’t have the money to pay the exams or don’t have the time to stick around for a year long vetting process. Unknowingly, Departments sometimes have no control over their hiring practices since they are administered by the state, city or town in which they reside. Many departments who want to implement a minority preference fear litigation and conflict from city or state officials. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Nevertheless, Police Departments’ all over the country are changing their hiring methods to become more diverse. The Wichita Police Department in Kansas altered it hiring practice after noticing that too many minorities were being turned away. In turn, they decided to make the hiring process more holistic and nuanced, look to the person as a whole and not just their mistakes. Colorado allows those with previous criminal convictions to apply for exemptions to the academy. They look at each case individually to decide which applicant will go through. They believe that one mistake in your youth should not follow you for the rest of your life. Both the Colorado State Patrol and the Burlington Police in Vermont don’t require officers to be U.S citizens as long as they have documentation to live and work here legally, inviting those that previously could not have policed before. After noticing that African- Americans, Hispanics and Asian-Americans were not getting hired, the St. Paul Police Department in Minnesota changed their hiring standards. They fixed the written exam to test for qualities that matter and not simply fake situations and they invited more people in for an interview. The South Portland Police in Maine has changed their civil service test from once a year to 2 or 3 times a year, that way applicants are not stressing over the exam and if they do bad on one they can take it again without having to wait another year. All departments mentioned have reported greater diversity and higher quality in their ranks after changing their practices. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Hiring is the most crucial process by which Police Departments can diversify their ranks, but it isn’t the last step in the process and in fact some say that retention is just as if not more important than hiring. Police departments not only need to hire diverse cops but also keep them, which can be a challenge when people from diverse backgrounds come together to protect the public as one entity. Becoming a police officer is entering in a culture unto itself. Each department has its own culture and sometimes it can be hard for officers from different countries, ideologies, and cultures to adjust. One would think that exposure to someone with different beliefs would be enough to bridge the cultural gap, but sometimes that isn’t enough. Diversity training aims to dismantle cultural boundaries within the department and with the community. However, as Coon writes,
”diversity training’was ineffective at changing recruits’ attitudes about race and racism [and it] had little chance of changing attitudes because it was extremely basic (e.g., covered concepts such as prejudice, stereotyping, and bias), and the delivery method consisted solely of a four-hour lecture with accompanying slide-show presentation.’ (Coon, J. K. (2016). Police officer’s attitudes toward diversity issues)
In addition, ”attempt[s] to transfer’information about specific groups or present standardized communication formats for selected populations [loses its] meaningful purpose.’ (Blakemore, J. L., Barlow, D., & Padgett, D. L. ,1995). In other words, culture is something that is experienced and can’t be learned via any presentation or classroom setting. So, then what can officers do when adjusting or leaning about a new culture? One option is mentoring. The new recruits can teach the veteran officers about themselves and where they come from and the veterans can teach the recruits about adjusting to police life. This can be done in or out of uniform, encourages officers to talk to each other and builds relationships that are crucial for a job in this profession. For example, both the Madison, Wisconsin and Lansing, Michigan Police Departments have a mentoring program that pairs officers one on one; most likely a new officer with an old one. They pairs are matched based on common interest so that the officer get off to a good start. The mentors help with anything from guidance, support, professional development and resources. These programs have increased retention rates in both departments. (U.S. Department of Justice)
Findings/Conclusion
‘US history is replete with conflict of varying proportions between police and ethnic and racial minority groups. The police are the front-line agency most often required to represent the government”charged’ with protecting the status quo of the power structure.’ (Gould, L. A. , 1997. Can an old dog be taught new tricks?) Our nation’s history is one of struggle, abuse, and war. Police are seen as the protectors of that struggle; protectors of freedom. But not to racial and ethnic minorities who have struggled under the shackles of oppression and tyranny. They have seen firsthand just what the government can do, and they want no part of it. The police are seen as the ‘enemy’; representatives of a government that fights for itself, abandoning its people and morals.
As women, African-Americans, Latinx-Americans, Asian-Americans and the LGBT community fight for equality and rights, there becomes a need for people from these communities to stand up be show the they are as much a part of this country as any White person. Suddenly diversity becomes the center of conversation. It is believed that greater diversity means better understanding, which is why police departments have been scrambling to diversify their ranks in an effort to reach out to underrepresented populations. But, there is no solid evidence to prove that diversity in policing causes major changes.
Nevertheless, it doesn’t mean that it’s not important. It’s crucial that the police represent the communities they serve to the best of their abilities. People are more apt to talk and interact with police if they look like them or speak their language. Therefore, it is important to prioritize diversity in policing and break down barriers preventing it because it is important to people.