Excessive Use of Deadly Force or Ineffective Police Training, or Both?

In the arena of public perception and the events of police action over the past year, the use of force in America by police agencies is front center news. The number of occasions between minority groups seems disproportionate, resulting in deaths that require addressing and resolution. We, as Americans, regardless of race or creed, need addressing and holding accountable everyone from politicians, citizens, officers, and agencies on the use of force and levels of training. In retrospect, there has to be an understanding as to what makes a police officer from applicant officer. Outlining the process can be a basis of beginning dialogue for a resolution to this national issue, which cannot be solved with boycotts, riots, civil unrest, protests, looting, and events of being unAmerican. It will take collective action from government, community groups, police agencies, and the public. A retooling of the system, processes, and training, and an understanding of policing, use of force, and interaction with the public.  Part of the process is the understanding of the hiring process to become a police officer.

The beginning of a police career begins with an application that sets the request to become a law enforcement professional, and the application is a pass or fail. After screening, the applicant gets scheduled for a written test consisting of 100-question test, which the applicant needs 70 percent or better. The journey from there is getting scheduled for a physical agility test consisting of a long timed run, sit-ups, push-ups, and obstacle course, as well as carrying a human-like dummy in various events, such as dragging, taking to safety scenarios. The agility test is pass or fail. Following a pass, the applicant gets notified of an oral-board consisting of private, public, and law enforcement personnel conducting the oral-board in which the applicant answers to job-related, and thought-provoking scenarios testing the methods of stability, reasoning, and communication. The oral-board is pass or fail.

The process from job application to the oral board can take up to a year to get to a decision-maker as well as all the pass or fail events in the process. Once an applicant passes all the pre-hiring events, there is still the process of getting onto a hiring list, which then gets released to the law enforcement agency. Following a review by the law enforcement agency the applicant is scheduled for a pre-hire interview providing they are accepted by the agency they are set up with a pre-hire process which consists of a drug test, application including a background application going back 15-years, which allows the agency to conduct a thorough background consisting of visits with neighbors, employers, references and others, followed by a polygraph test, even some a Psychological Test. Finally, the applicant has to undergo a full medical evaluation and examination.

This process is a pass or fails the process. If the applicant gets a cleared background, they are hired as probationary employees and are scheduled for the Police Academy, which is a 13 to 19-week process. The cadet has to settle into a routine of early wake-up, physical exercise, and classwork. This sets the structure of a police cadet learning police functions, theory on law enforcement, physical conditioning and learning chain of command structure, classwork, tests, and getting cadets up to speed on policing. In general, 14 percent of cadets wash-out or quit the academy (U.S. Department of Justice, 2018). After the completion of the police academy, the newly appointed police officers are assigned to a police department, bureau, division or precinct. They are hired with the provision that the first year they are probationary employees meaning they can be terminated with or without cause during the year. After being hired, the rookie police officer has a full year of training consisting of field training (FTO), which includes observation of duty in all events and scenarios that are part of the daily responsibility of the officer.

The FTO program addresses leadership, emergency, and non-emergency events, patrolling activities, and investigations. The year is full of learning from police vehicle operations, use of force, report writing, leadership, problem-solving, officer safety, ethics, and many more areas of competency. If, after the full-year, the rookie officer passes the FTO program, the rookie officer becomes a full police office with any probation element. It is not easy to become a police officer. Yet, in policing, the business of policing is boring, consistent, and interacting in the lowest of society in domestic, civil, and criminal activity. There is a high suicide rate among police officers, including high stress, long hours, and an increased divorce. Departments are failing their officers with management oversight, understanding, and offering methods to reduce stress and operational conditions.

Policing requires understanding and practical training - which has to address working conditions, distractions, and methods that induce poor work habits and weak community interaction. There has to be a better understanding of race relations, culture differences, and active community policing. There is excessive over-reaction, quick to the draw, racial and community failures creating an excessive use of force, poor policing that has created divisions between police and society, the public, and government. Our streets are set with protests, riots, and a public discord. There are community problems needing address and redress that levels the playing field and begins unity and healing in this country.  There are many good reasons for becoming a police officer. Yet, many factors can affect the delivery of police activities—beginning a positive effort to increase public support and begin aiding in bringing back the balance in community policing.

Gaining the balance of trust starts with a focus on the operational training addressing the use of force, the application of deadly force, addressing and enhancing police probable cause methods, aiding in a reduction of police contacts with affected groups.  The goal is a balance of dialogue between the parties, the community, the police, and the state and federal governments. The goal is addressing the use of force, overall community policing to rebuild trust, gain better racial relations, enhance better community policing. Focus on factors that will restore confidence, restoring the balance in the community and police activities. When proactive discussions are taken, that will reduce community members from excessive use of force, which could result in injury or death. With the ongoing talks, action, and better training and community, we all win. 

In the end, a better America.