Diversity and Inclusion in Policing: Courtelaney Pass PD

To: The Governor 

From: The Interim Chief of Police 

Date: 30 th July 2020 

Executive Summary 

Issues 

Courtelaney Pass has a population of 80,000 residents, made up of 55% white, 38% black, and 7% Hispanic. Despite its diverse population, the existing practices and procedural guidelines in the police department do not reflect the diversity of the existing population. Two out of five council members are ignorant of the civil unrest that exists within the black community in the municipality. This ignorance has resulted in the creation of policies that are not inclusive or consider issues faced by minority communities. This is worsened by the excessive use of force against young African American men by the police. There is also a concern of speed tickets and associated bias towards the African American community. The former Chief of police had required that each office policer have at least 12 citations in their shifts. The speed radar within the community appears to be targeted at the black community, as 87% of the speeding tickets are directed against members of this community. These issues have resulted in increased racial tensions and allegations of corruption by the public toward the police department. 

Courtelaney Pass has an increased crime rate by 35%, with a majority of criminal activities being conducted on minority groups being ignored by the police department. The lack of investigation of the crimes committed against the minority communities and the extrajudicial killings of members of these communities has elevated the rivalry between minority groups and the police. Based on the report conducted, there is a need to address the inconsistencies that exist in the municipality's police department approach. This has resulted in a poor state of affairs, particularly the state of security, and a decrease in public trust in the police. 

Achievements 

Based on the issues identified in your municipality, several steps were taken to ensure racial inclusion and diversity in the policy and practices used by the police department. The following steps have already been taken; 

Task Force 

One of the primary steps that have already been taken was the creation of the task force. Based on an assessment, it is clear that the police agency's demographics do not reflect the community. While only 55% of the municipality's population is white, approximately 94% of the agency is white. The minorities (6% of the agency) only work in the non-sworn support roles. Due to this, the task force was structured to dispose of biased employment and recruitment practices within the agency. The task force was also given the role of investigating all extrajudicial killings and the use of any questionable enforcement tactics by police officers within the community. 

Since the enforcement of the task force in the last six months, 25 police officers were placed under investigation, and 18 of these officers were fired from the agency based on substantial evidence of corrupt practices. There was also the recruitment of 42 additional police officers, with 28 officers from the black community and 14 police officers from the Hispanic community. This increase in the recruitment of individuals from the minority communities goes against the former Chief's claim that a majority of the minority applicants were not able to pass the entrance exam. 

Revisiting Past Injustices 

One of the issues that have facilitated increased conflict between the police and existing minority groups is the high rate of unsolved crimes perpetrated against minority communities. The police have been observed as having a lackluster attitude towards these crimes, as most of these crimes do not affect the predominant community in the area. Moreover, the former Chief of Police is on record protecting officers that were unprofessional at the time of the investigations. 

Due to this, rigorous investigations were conducted on existing unsolved crimes that date as far back as ten years. A total of 43 cases, all of which include the minority communities, were identified. Several steps have been taken on the information obtained through an evaluation of existing documents and several interviews with members of the community. One of the main cases focused on was four pre-teen girls, two from the black community and two from the Hispanic community, who had disappeared from their homes and later discovered dead in the wooded areas. In all four of these cases, two police officers who acted as responding officers were recorded as not paying attention to the parents' concerns and showcased a refusal to take the action that was legally required by the agency. Both of these police officers have been fired and await further prosecution in court. The lifelong resident of the agency, Dr. Elmer Clausen, is also facing severe legal consequences for not conducting proper forensic investigations on these children's bodies. Lastly, an investigation was conducted on officers that had been aware of the former officer, Lozi, and the former Chief's cover-up of the sexual assault and murder of one of the missing girls. In total, five police officers were identified as having taken part in the ignorance of these unsolved crimes. All of these police officers are currently suspended from their duties and await a definitive course of action from the task force. 

Further Issues to be Addressed 

While significant steps have been taken to increase the inclusion of the minority communities in legal enforcement while ensuring they receive the proper level of policing and protection from the agency, there are still gaps that need to be addressed. The relationship between the police agency and community members is very frugal, as there is no existing public trust. The following steps are to be taken in the next seven months; 

Inter-Party Training Groups 

As already discussed, two out of the five city council members are satisfied with the current situation. There is also a high degree of Southern Pride within the community as confederate flags are flown frequently, and the local KKK fledgling is attempting to revitalize itself. There is a lack of proper relationships between the agency and the police and between different groups in the community. The task force will be further organized to establish inter-party training to facilitate healthy relationships between the agency and the public. These workshops will target community leaders, such as religious and community policing leaders. Community leaders from the Southern Side and community leaders from the minority groups can be integrated into a training program where they will be educated and informed on the importance of cohesive relationships for all the parties involved. The municipal leaders will also be engaged in the entire process. The involvement of municipal leaders will highlight the challenges facing the community and the effects of these challenges on all the groups involved (Bradford et al., 2014). 

Educational Campaigns 

The municipality faces a rising crime rate, with criminal activities increasing by about 35%. This is mainly in the form of the increased use and trade of illegal drugs within the Southern part of the city. This illegal drug trade has significantly facilitated an increase in the rise of crime while supporting the conflict that exists between the police and the community. There have been extrajudicial killings of drug dealers by police officers, which has worsened the rivalry between minority groups and the police. An aspect of the financial budget will be directed towards the structure of campaigns focused on educating the public considering the dangers associated with drugs and crimes. The education of the community concerning the effects of the illegal drug trade will be aimed to decrease the use of illegal drugs on minority groups. Through this education, the agency aims to decrease the level of the illicit drug trade. Another objective of the educational programs is to sensitize the public concerning the need for community policing. The minority groups, due to their distrust towards the police agency, have shown significant reluctance to report any violations of the law or the existence of criminal activities. 

Paying Increased Attention to Undocumented Immigrants 

Undocumented immigrants have faced several challenges, such as home invasions, but do not report these cases due to fears of deportation. To mitigate this challenge, a community leader from this group will be drafted to work hand-in-hand with the agency to ensure that immigrants receive the level of policing services that they need. 

Conclusion 

Courtelaney Pass municipality faces a significant challenge in association with the increase in crime rate and racial bias in policing. A task force has already been structured to investigate the use of questionable enforcement tactics by some police officers, along with the recruitment of police officers from different minority groups. These investigations have resulted in considerable changes in the policies and practices within the agency. For further inclusion, inter-party training, educational campaigns, and increased collaboration with undocumented immigrants will be conducted. I recommend further investment in establishing a trusting relationship between the public and the agency. 

References 

Bradford, B., Murphy, K., & Jackson, J. (2014). Officers as mirrors: Policing, procedural justice, and the (re) production of social identity. British journal of criminology ,  54 (4), 527-550.