Making change is sometimes like turning around an aircraft carrier, it takes time. Changing the culture of any organization is never an easy task. Here are five practical ways you can start the process:
1. Increase diversity within your organization. Recruiting a more diverse workforce with different backgrounds and experiences can help you better understand and respond to the needs of the communities you serve.
2. Prioritize de-escalation tactics. Training officers in de-escalation tactics and emphasizing the importance of de-escalation can help prevent excessive use of force. Emotional Intelligence training is excellent for de-escalation training.
3. Foster relationships with the community. Chiefs should work to build trust with community members, which can help to identify better and address any potential issues before they escalate. Here are two ways to make that happen:
- Participate in community events – This could include attending local festivals, parades, and other community gatherings.
- Get to know your community – Officers can make an effort to get to know the people in their community by going door-to-door, introducing themselves, and listening to people’s concerns. Your agency can also host coffee and donut events in public spaces to make officers more approachable and build rapport with community members.
4. Institute transparency. Create policies that ensure transparency, such as releasing timely information about police-involved incidents and investigations. That may seem obvious, but many agencies don’t utilize this opportunity to help strengthen community-police relations.
5. Implement body cameras. Body cameras can provide an impartial record of police interactions with members of the public, which can help to ensure accountability.