Running a toys for tots drive. Hosting “Shop with a Cop” events at holidays and back-to-school times to help children and families who are financially needy. Volunteering to visit schools, community organizations, religious centers, and other locations to meet people and talk about the work that police officers do.
What is the average age in my community? What age range do the majority of people fall into? What are the gender, race, and ethnicity breakdowns of the population? What is the average household income in the area?
Biases, when unchecked, can lead to problems like racial profiling. Evidence shows that they can be overcome with proper training. [5] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Ask your superiors to host a workshop on diversity to help officers. Invite experts trained in the areas of diversity and biases to come and speak to your force.
If you can give the media the information they request, do so. If you can’t divulge information for any reason, tell them something like “I can’t comment on that right now, because the investigation is ongoing. However, I promise to release that information to the public as soon as I am able. ”
Ask yourselves: what kind of relationship do these values suggest you have to each other and to your community? Is it an “us versus them” relationship, or do you see yourselves working together with your community?
What goals do you want to reach in your community? How do you want the public to perceive your force? How will you evaluate yourselves to ensure you’re doing your job well? How will officers be reprimanded for not serving well?
Upholding democracy Preserving human life Preventing and solving crime Involving the community
For instance, if you find yourself in the midst of a domestic dispute where one party is agitated, compassion will help you realize that they are not necessarily directing anger at you to be threatening, but simply expressing how upset they are. Likewise, if you learn to recognize signs of mental illness, you can understand when an individual’s behavior is caused by a disease rather than criminal intent. It’s easy to become cynical as a police officer, but try to keep a positive mindset and remember that most people respect police officers and value what you’re doing. [10] X Expert Source Saul Jaeger, MSPolice Captain, Mountain View Police Department Expert Interview. 21 February 2020.
Before using force against a person, ask yourself questions like “Is the use of force necessary in this case? Have I done everything I can to protect this person’s life without the use of force?” Even if you were required to undergo training in the proper use of force, as your superiors if they can host a refresher course for officers.
Try to spend time with friends and family as often as you can. Take a vacation if you have the opportunity. See a mental health specialist if you feel like stress is impacting your work performance.
Try doing something like meeting with your mentor once a month for lunch to talk about how things are going.
Criminal justice Conflict resolution Interpersonal communication Cyber security Forensic science
