Police Personnel and the Community Paper

Police Personnel and the Community Paper

CJS/241

Police Personnel and the Community Paper

Introduction

Policing starts with proper recruitment of men and women from different ethnical backgrounds. The United States of America has a diverse population, and that ethnical diversity should show within our Police agencies.

Agency Recruitment, Hiring and Training

Police recruitment is a great concern. Many agencies find it hard to recruit. Recruiting resources just aren’t there for some agencies, so there is a lack in the recruitment process due to lack of funding along with the need to recruit individuals that can handle a high stress environment while meeting the demands of the job. Most agencies start recruitment within the department with their own personnel. Recruitment is done through advertisement of the agency, career and job fairs. Recruiters stress that they are looking for personnel that would fit and meet the needs of the individuals in the community that have great characteristics and talent. During the selection process, and the interview the skills and abilities of candidates are looked at closely. The ability to practice good judgment, mental stability, the ability to problem solve, and engage with people, the ability to be sensitive to cultural beliefs, the ability to deal with people with mental disabilities, the ability to handle people from all walks of life. The ability to be diverse and unbiased against those in the community we serve. Throughout the process the work experience of the candidate plays an important role. What type of work ethic does this person have, has he or she had any prior experience in the field of Criminal Justice? The basic requirements for agencies are, one must be a citizenship of the U.S., or a permanent resident. Recruits may be of the age of 21, from a range of minorities’ women and men, with a high school diploma or GED, with college credit or a bachelor’s degree. Recruits must hold a valid driver’s license and meet the minimum fitness requirements of that agency. Recruits must complete the application process, and sit for testing to be qualified. All applicants must complete screenings, a written exam that consists of four areas, reading comprehension, problem solving, memory and written skills. The physical test is given to see if one is able to meet the demands of the job. Police officers must to be physically fit to do their job. The fitness test looks at strength, endurance and heart health. The physical test consists of running, lifting, and climbing. The backgrounds of all applicants are checked thoroughly against the criminal and credit data base. Recruits will have routine drug screening, psychological testing, and polygraph test done before the training process. The training process for recruits is vigorous. Depending on the agency and local requirements recruits may attend a local academy or the agency based academy. Before recruits are out on the street, they must first go through classroom training, as a police cadet, or trainee. Every state has standards that they go by as far as educational training and physical training needs. The classroom training consists of reporting, patrol, traffic investigations, computer systems, criminal law, traffic law, juvenile justice procedures, ethics, diversity, body health and fitness, and most of all professionalism, and on the job stress management. The defense class consists of, use of force tactics, firing skills, and types of weapons. Once the recruit is done with classroom and defense training he enters field training where he or she is paired with an officer on patrol before training is complete and he or she becomes a sworn officer. The process of recruitment, hiring and training is costly to the department. These costs could reach well over $100,000 within in a 12-month period.

Promoting Diversity by hiring Women and Minoritiesimplements Community Policing by Local Agencies

Many agencies provide the necessary training to meet the standards of diversity to their employees. But, do they apply those same standards in the recruitment and hiring process of women and minorities in the department. In order to minimize racial discrimination one must show acceptance to all ethnic groups by hiring without bias. The agency has to be flexible in the hiring process of women and minorities while meeting the standards and the guidelines set for recruits. Agencies should employ staff from all backgrounds to provide a diverse atmosphere so the community feels safe. Agencies in ethnic specific areas should employ ethnic specific employees to police those areas. This builds community policing and helps gain the trust of the community.Agencies that show and promote diversity and trust will receive trust from the community. Our society as a whole is made up with a group of diverse people. Agencies should display their diversity in the field through the people they employ. Through social media, community interaction and inclusion of diverse individual in flyers, commercials, and advertising can build a positive rapport for departments. This gives individuals from all over the community a fair chance with employment. This is done by promoting a diverse group of employees. Agencies that set hiring goals have better chances with the recruitment of women and minorities. Because they define clear standards regardless of ethnic background or gender as long as one meets the requirements of the job.

Significance of Stress Training

Stress for officers could lead to heart disease, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, PTSD, and depression. Stress levels play a significant part in the way an officer carries out his daily duties. Many agencies have implemented stress and mental health classes as a part of their training process. These programs are used a way to help or teach officers ways to cope and deal with stress on the job. These classes offer counseling that helps with the psychological side of policing. The purpose of stress training is to help officers learn way to better manage stress, anger, family issues that may present itself. Police are here to protect, but as a department we are there to protect our officers, from the day to say stressors so they may do their jobs effectively. Officers will someday face the obstacle of shooting or killing someone. While this is an option no officer hopes to face, but there are times when officers are posed with difficult situations that may result in the death of an individual. Before this happens our officers should have received stress training to better prepare he or she for what they may face. Stress breaks down the mind and the body, without these things one can’t function on the job. Reducing the stress through training and mental health counseling will improve professional and personal performance in life.

Collaborative Group

In collaborative group c I was the only person to post an article. My article was in regards to the Everett Police theaccusation of discrimination when promoting. It was alleged that Captain had passed over several officers in regards to race to promote Caucasian officers with lower rank to higher positions. The city investigated the incidents and showed no malice and plan to dispute the federal law suit. Prior to these allegations the same captain had a law suit against him for the discrimination of African American Women and they won. Any act of violation against civil rights should be handled accordingly.

References

Levenson, R. (2016, June). Why departments need to develop mental health programs for cops. Police One, (),. Retrieved from https://www.policeone.com/health-fitness/articles/192899006-Why-departments-need-to-develop-mental-health-programs-for-cops/

Larry valencia, Regis University, A Guide for Mentoring Programs in Police Departments 3 (2009), http://epublications.regis.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1120&context=theses.

Gupa, Vanita., & Yang, J. R. (2016, October). ADVANCING DIVERSITY IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. U.S. Department of Justice Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, ().

Discovering Police . (2008-2017). Retrieved from http://discoverpolicing.org/what_does_take/?fa=training_academy_life