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Police in AmericaPolice in America

Chapter FiveChapter FivePolice Officers I: Police Officers I: Entering Police Entering Police

WorkWork

22

The Changing American Police The Changing American Police OfficerOfficer

More female, African American, and More female, African American, and Hispanic officers compared to 40 years agoHispanic officers compared to 40 years ago

Many college educated or hold masters’ Many college educated or hold masters’ degreesdegrees

Openly gay and lesbian officersOpenly gay and lesbian officers

33

Aspects of the Personnel ProcessAspects of the Personnel Process

A Career PerspectiveA Career Perspective– Many departments have personnel problems Many departments have personnel problems

because:because: 1. Don’t train recruits properly1. Don’t train recruits properly 2. Don’t supervise officer adequately2. Don’t supervise officer adequately 3. Poor evaluation systems3. Poor evaluation systems 4. Failure to discipline4. Failure to discipline 5. Failure to provide career opportunities5. Failure to provide career opportunities 6. Don’t promote the best officers6. Don’t promote the best officers

44

Beyond Stereotypes of CopsBeyond Stereotypes of Cops

Stereotypes can be either positive or Stereotypes can be either positive or negativenegative– Positive: Heroic saints, risking their livesPositive: Heroic saints, risking their lives– Negative: Uneducated, untrained, prejudiced, Negative: Uneducated, untrained, prejudiced,

brutal or corruptbrutal or corrupt

These stereotypes can discourage women These stereotypes can discourage women from becoming police officersfrom becoming police officers

55

The Personnel Process: A Shared The Personnel Process: A Shared ResponsibilityResponsibility

Shared with other governmental agencies Shared with other governmental agencies (civil service system)(civil service system)

Attracting a pool of applicants: Attracting a pool of applicants: Minimum qualifications Minimum qualifications The recruitment effortThe recruitment effort Applicant’s motivations to applyApplicant’s motivations to apply

66

RecruitmentRecruitmentMinimum QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

Most departments - 21 years of ageMost departments - 21 years of age Height and Weight Height and Weight EducationEducation

63% high school diploma63% high school diploma 37.1% require some college37.1% require some college 4.8% require four-year degree4.8% require four-year degree Educational incentive payEducational incentive pay

Criminal recordCriminal record No felony—Drug offenses major problemNo felony—Drug offenses major problem Misdemeanor?Misdemeanor?

ResidencyResidency About 25% of departments require living within About 25% of departments require living within

the city limitsthe city limits

77

Choosing Law Enforcement as a Choosing Law Enforcement as a CareerCareer

Applicants motivationsApplicants motivations - Help people- Help people - Job security- Job security

- Fight crime- Fight crime - Excitement- Excitement

- Prestige- Prestige Barriers to recruitmentBarriers to recruitment

- Negative image of officersNegative image of officers- Traditionally male occupationsTraditionally male occupations

88

Selecting Officers from the Recruit Selecting Officers from the Recruit PoolPool

Selection testsSelection tests– Oral interviewsOral interviews– Written and medical examsWritten and medical exams

Background InvestigationsBackground Investigations- Previous employment, possible criminal Previous employment, possible criminal

record, interviews with neighborsrecord, interviews with neighbors- Educational background, financial status, Educational background, financial status,

home visithome visit

99

Screening Methods Used by Local Screening Methods Used by Local Police Depts. (2003)Police Depts. (2003)

MethodMethod % Dept Using% Dept Using Personal interviewPersonal interview 9898 Criminal record checkCriminal record check 9999 Background investigationBackground investigation 9898 Driving record checkDriving record check 9696 Medical examMedical exam 8585 Psychological screenPsychological screen 6767 Drug testDrug test 7373 Written aptitude testWritten aptitude test 4343 Physical agility testPhysical agility test 5050 Polygraph examPolygraph exam 2525

1010

Predicting Police Officer Predicting Police Officer PerformancePerformance

The difficulty of predicting good police The difficulty of predicting good police performance:performance: Screening Methods Screening Methods Measuring Police PerformanceMeasuring Police Performance Screening Efforts vs. Actual Job PerformanceScreening Efforts vs. Actual Job Performance

1111

Equal Employment OpportunityEqual Employment Opportunity

Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights ActTitle VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act Race, color, religion, sex, or national Race, color, religion, sex, or national

originorigin Protected classProtected class

1972 Equal Employment Opportunity 1972 Equal Employment Opportunity ActAct

1990 Americans With Disabilities Act1990 Americans With Disabilities Act

Bona Fide Occupational Bona Fide Occupational QualificationQualification

1212

““Not Your Father’s Police Not Your Father’s Police Department”: Diversity in PolicingDepartment”: Diversity in Policing

Employment of Racial and Employment of Racial and Ethnic MinoritiesEthnic Minorities Reflect the composition of Reflect the composition of

the community it servesthe community it serves

Hispanic and Latino officersHispanic and Latino officers Fastest growing populationFastest growing population Spanish-speaking officers Spanish-speaking officers

recruitedrecruited

WomenWomen More seriously More seriously

underrepresented than underrepresented than racial or ethnic minoritiesracial or ethnic minorities

Concentrated in lower Concentrated in lower ranks ranks

Gay and Lesbian officersGay and Lesbian officers Increasingly open over the Increasingly open over the

last 20 yearslast 20 years

African American Officers

Previously underrepresented in the police force

Employment discrimination litigation has helped to increase number of African American officers in the police force

1313

Achieving Diversity in Police Achieving Diversity in Police EmploymentEmployment

U.S. Supreme Court held that diversity is a U.S. Supreme Court held that diversity is a “compelling state of interest”“compelling state of interest”

Three basic goalsThree basic goals– Ensure employer is not discriminatingEnsure employer is not discriminating– Improve police serviceImprove police service– Improve image of police departmentImprove image of police department

Employment Discrimination SuitsEmployment Discrimination Suits Controversy over affirmative actionControversy over affirmative action The question of quotasThe question of quotas

– Reverse discriminationReverse discrimination

1414

The Police Academy The Police Academy

Provides formal trainingProvides formal training– Preservice trainingPreservice training

Process for weeding out unqualified Process for weeding out unqualified recruitsrecruits

– Field trainingField training

Rite of passage that socializes recruitsRite of passage that socializes recruits State training and certificationState training and certification

1515

Training Training

Police AcademyPolice Academy Big departments Big departments

have own academyhave own academy Small departments Small departments

use state-run use state-run academiesacademies

Field trainingField training FTO programFTO program 2/3 of departments 2/3 of departments

use this processuse this process

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

Average number of hours1,000,000

500,000-999,999

250,000-499,999

100,000-249,999

50,000-99,999

25,000-49,999

10,000-24,999

2,500-9,999

under2,500

1616

State Training and CertificationState Training and Certification Every state has some form of mandated pre-service Every state has some form of mandated pre-service

training for certificationtraining for certification State-required content of trainingState-required content of training DecertificationDecertification

Shortcomings of current police training:

Don’t cover important subjects like discretion and ethics

Preservice training not adequate

Classroom training alone is not adequate

1717

The Probationary PeriodThe Probationary Period

Can range to six months to two years after Can range to six months to two years after being sworn in as an officerbeing sworn in as an officer

Officer can be dismissed without cause Officer can be dismissed without cause during this periodduring this period– Rules for this process determined by local Rules for this process determined by local

civil service regulationscivil service regulations Average of 7 percent of all recruits Average of 7 percent of all recruits

dismissed during this perioddismissed during this period