...Diversity in Law Enforcement MAJ-660 Across the United States there are many challenges among law enforcement agencies when it comes to hiring the most qualified candidates and also those candidates that come from racial/ethnic minorities and female applicants. Having diversity within a law enforcement agency is critical. Bringing cultural understandings and native language skills to the force, minorities’ play a key role for success when the officers are called to help those groups of individuals. “In short, the police may be seen more legitimate and may be better able to partner with community organizations in fighting crime if they more closely resemble and identify with the communities they serve” (Raganella and White, 2004; Scivner, 2006). Due to the higher standards that most of the law enforcement agencies require, there are many individuals that would make outstanding police officers, but do not meet many of the requirements such as a college education. However, there are many other circumstances that can attribute to the lower number of minorities and women in law enforcement. One of the biggest issues with recruitment of racial/ethnic minorities and women basically boils down to “an insufficient number of these groups simply not applying for the job” (Scivner, 2006). According to Ravens 2010, “lack of awareness suggests a deficiency in outreach actions and events; that is, there is not enough recruitment in areas where demographics...
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...Madison Guastella - 1152090 - AJ 105 - 2-L E Diversity Diversity of the LAPD After many phone calls and research I discovered that the diversity of the police agency matches up with the diversity of my city, with some minor differences. Since my neighborhood is unincorporated, we get the LAPD when we call for help. The LAPD employs just over ten thousand officers and they have more than three thousand civilian staff. These officers cover the area of four hundred ninety eight square miles populated by over four point one million people. Looking at these numbers you can see that this agency is huge, they are the third largest law enforcement agency in the United States. Being so large they have comprised into twenty one stations known as “areas” but are more commonly referred to as “divisions”. These twenty one stations are grouped geographically into four command areas. Within those four command areas I was told that the Pacific Division are the ones who come to the area where I live. Now to get to the diversity of the LAPD. Unlike my city’s diversity there are more males than females in the force by sixty four percent. I figured there would be more males than females because it is more of a man’s job, and because females weren’t allowed to be an officer until the early 1900s, then more of them were allowed to join after the lawsuit in 1980. The percentages of the different races within the LAPD are similar to the civilians living in Long Beach. Forty...
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...Benefits of Diversity in Law Enforcement Author Note This paper was prepared for Managing Diversity, MAJ 6603, taught by Professor Wilson. Abstract In this paper we will discuss the advantages of diversity within law enforcement, its community and recruitment programs. We will review the benefits of implementing theories, concepts, and leadership skills throughout law enforcement to ensure that all personnel are treated with respect and dignity. Exploration of barriers could be broken through by developing a training environment, which ensures that those within their ranks can rise to the challenge. At the same time encouraging employees, both civilian and uniformed the ability to contribute to the framework of the organization. By allowing this to happen, we can help strengthen the moral fortitude of an agency, rich in ethical and cultural diversity for the community to benefit. As we discuss the importance of diversity within law enforcement, we will also look at formulating a recruitment program. This includes the community which they interact with on a daily bases with a focus on reducing negative connotations towards them. There are many programs that have been developed since the 1970s throughout the United, which have been implemented and developed into a positive interaction with the community, especially the immigrant families, allowing for a more positive feeling towards law enforcement. Keywords: Commitment, Diversity, Integrity, Communication ...
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...Diversity Now more than ever agencies are looking to fill their ranks with a diverse officer corps that reflects the populations they serve. This includes women and those from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds as well as other minority groups. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, racial and ethnic minorities in state and local agencies made up 23.6 percent of full-time sworn personnel in 2003, up from 14.6 percent in 1987. Women accounted for 11.3 percent of officers in 2003 up from 7.6 percent in 1987. While the numbers are increasing, the profession continues to seek greater representation of women and minorities in its ranks, and many agencies are actively and aggressively recruiting these demographics. For many agencies, particularly those serving large immigrant communities, the need for racial and ethnic minorities extends far beyond traditional groups. Furthermore, as agencies look for officers who mirror their communities, they are also extending their definitions of diversity. From this perspective, diversity can include religion, sexual orientation, age, family background or occupation, and even neighborhood or high school. Law enforcement requires a unique blend of traits and characteristics. Some of these include •empathy •effective communication •compassion •intelligence, and •the ability to relate to people on a personal level. These are traits anyone can bring to the table regardless of gender, ethnic heritage, or background...
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...University of Phoenix Law enforcement and the community have always had an off and on relationship. Like any other relationship they have their disagreements, misunderstandings and break-ups. However at the end of the day both sides share common interests, deterrence and justice. With the influx of immigrants in the past decades the United States has been bombarded with many different cultures and languages. Therefore society’s views and opinions of law enforcement vary from ethnicity to ethnicity. We will be exploring how the Asian, Hispanic and Black communities see law enforcement from discrimination, racial profiling and past experiences. Also, we will discuss how non-minorities view law enforcement and their actions. The shattered relations between law enforcement and minorities will be included in the discussion. In addition, the police officers and the rise of diversity and how they interact with the community, response to the growth of ethnic communities and education on diversity. Lastly, racial profiling and its effects on police officers, the community and the department will be explored. Ethnic Groups The increase of immigration and diversity has sometimes made relationships with police difficult. Asian and Hispanics communities are often fearful of police officers due to there past experiences. There past experiences vary from their country of origin that was plagued with war and civil unrest. This includes corruption in law enforcement and abuse of power by authority...
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...recruiting, hiring, and retaining a diverse workforce is a problem many upper-level management leaders are experiencing on a daily basis. These leaders understand that diversity within the workforce is one way to increase fairness and justice in society by promoting equality and non-discrimination in the treatment of its members (Workman-Stark, 2015). Many of our communities, just like the workforce, are made up of individuals of varying genders, nationalities, religions, sexual orientations, and ages. To best serve the public’s needs, all managers, but especially those of policing agencies should aim to fill their departments with a diverse group of individuals that reflects the populations in which they serve. A diverse...
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...Gender, Women and the Criminal Justice System The ever-changing role of women working in a law enforcement capacity is one that has been debated, experimented with and implemented in various portions for over a century. As always, with the change in procedure comes the specific challenges that will ultimately have to be faced as agencies decide where to place women within their department so that they can be most effective. On the same token, agencies are also having to deal with the various challenges that come when diversity is added to the mixture. Although the United States has been quite diverse for over a century, it is always a topic that needs to be addressed and effectively dealt with so that the overall mission can be successful. In the realm of law enforcement, the tactics used by police officers nation-wide have generally been the same over the years with the exception of major events such as the attacks of September 11th and the school shootings. In those...
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...Ethnicity in Police Employment Practices Isabel R. Rodriguez University of Phoenix October 3, 2011 Blanche Cook Race and Ethnicity in Police Employment Practices An important part of the United States workforce is made up of police officers. The number of police officers employed has grown drastically over the past few years. However, although the number of police officers employed has increased, public scrutiny has as well. The police employment practices have affected the publics’ perception of the police because of the factors involved as well as the desire to seek employment in law enforcement. The paper below will describe some of the factors involved with race and ethnicity when seeking police careers. Diversity among the law enforcement was limited until several years ago. A significant positive change has been seen in the perceptions of minorities within the employment of law enforcement. This helps to redress the historic workplace inequity by having police forces better reflect ethnic constituency of society (Perrott, 1999). However, minorities are still more likely to suffer inequalities. These inequalities are shaped by structural constraints that include childhood and adult poverty, unemployment, inadequate health care, and lack of economic and education opportunities (Smith, 2009). Minorities are also placed at the bottom of the social class. Because of these inequalities, employment with the police department has been difficult to achieve as some of these inequalities...
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...States has changed dramatically since it was first brought to the thirteen colonies from England. However, some of the issues faced then are being faced in policing today. There are also new trends that are prevalent, and these trends will continue to have lasting effects on the future of policing. Even though new trends improve policing overall, they can also cause more serious issues. It is crucial to continue making changes topolicing because it allows law enforcement officers to keep up with the rest of society, including the knowledge of new crime trends. This paper will describe the current trends and issues in policing and analyze possible solutions to improve policing tactics. One trend currently affecting policing is police-community relations. There is a strong emphasis now on community policing, which promotes trust and better relationships between police officers and community members, and less on the militaristic style (Stephens, 2005). Improving police-community relations not only accents the importance of diversity, but it reduces prejudice and discrimination by officers. Community policing helps build trust between the police and community members by relying on citizens to help fight crime. Hence, it is a type of proactive policing (Walker & Katz, 2011). By relying on citizens, police officers have a better chance at preventing and reducing crimes within a community. Another trend currently affecting policing is utilizing many different types of patrol. These...
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...Steve Nance August 25, 2008 Policing in itself is a difficult task that needs the undivided attention of both law enforcement and the citizens they have sworn to protect. Sir Robert Peel said it best when he stated,” The police are the public and the public are the police ;the police being only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence”. He was stating that policing was needed for the public and needed to meet the needs of the public. Sir Robert created the first police force in 1829, when looking at the rising criminal acts Sir Robert decided that major changes needed to happen with the criminal code. The first officer's force was created under the Metropolitan Police Act, they were known as Bobby's boys or "bobbies. (Sir Robert Peel). In modern policing, the police were in were in the various communities to make a presence known and to deter crime and keep the peace. By today’s standards, policing has taken on variety of roles which make them more human instead of being separate from the citizens they are protecting. There are the roles of problem solver and counselor that have been added to the duties of the police. There has to be some sort of sensitivity to the needs of law-abiding citizens. Before when an act of crime was committed and the police were called, a report was made and follow-ups were done if needed. For...
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...Having Women involved in law enforcement is a positive and much needed thing regardless of race. In 2004 the US. Department of justice conducted a census whereas it was found that females represented only 16 percent of all employed federal law enforcement (Stange, 2011, p. 831). However, it was found that one-third of these female officers were ethnic minorities, with Hispanics ranking highest at 33 percent. Excluding both state and local level personnel from what I understand wasn’t reported or withheld. Earlier study’s is said to show that females represent 13 percent of state and local law enforcement personnel, with women of color representing about 5 percent of those positions (womenandpolicing.org/pdf/2002, equality denied, 2001). A department with diversity is ideal because it demonstrates and reflects equal opportunity employment and gives individuals in society fare chance of employment. Diversity in ethnicity in law enforcement gives off a positive image to our youth it gives them vision and hope that they too can partake in a rewarding career and amount to something great. One of the advantages female officers have is that they can frisk another female without worry whereas male officers don’t have that advantage and also a female officer can be far more persuasive and effective under cover whereas a male officer would be more noticeable in that situation. I think it’s possible that women can achieve the equality that’s desired...
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...Officers in Law Enforcement Abstract There are many factors in which comprise the impact of females in policing, one in which how they are treated within the work environment. Other things do come into play when trying to increase females in policing such as expanding on the diversity being accepted in police agencies. Many females think they are treated unfairly and unjust according to the system, it seems to always come back to the fact that women feel like they are being mistreated which needs to be changed. Females should not feel inferior to males within the workplace even if they are feeling belittled by other male officers. One way females can “vent” about what is being said or done to them, is mentoring within the workplace; this will help them with stress, and getting more comfortable with the job by being able to talk to someone about it. There are many positive affects that females have in law enforcement, and knowing that there should be a population growth with females in policing. Police departments are more diverse today than ever before. Females in policing are known to have a positive impact within all law enforcement, policing being most common. Many things come into play when females are within law enforcement, some being good, and some bad. Females do come across problems within the workplace, but so do males; this factor not setting them apart from males on the job. Females make a huge impact on policing in many ways, in which are positive to law enforcement...
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...effects of this impact when different cultures are combined. The culture in which a person is raised plays a significant role in shaping his values, morals, behaviors and attitudes. These characteristics impact how a person thinks, and what his overall mind-set is toward the world around him. When a person is met with the principles and ideals of a different culture, a cross-cultural interaction takes place. ANALYING CROSS CULTURE WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT Most all law enforcement officials want to protect and serve people in their community equally even those with a mix of different back grounds. Most officers realize the challenges they face with understanding the complexity of the diverse society. The police have a hard time dealing with the challenges of police procedures and the interaction of the citizens in the diversity culture. Most departments and its officers have a lack of knowledge on the different cultures and this can end up violating someone’s rights or even an officer’s safety or cause a public embarrassment. Law enforcement officers and their personal must make sure their prejudices are in check and they refrain from acting on their biased. Most department are working on...
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...Police officers play many different roles in society. These roles include maintaining peace and order within a community, enforcing the laws, pursuing justice for victims, and serving the public need. Many officers favor a public service role, while others adhere more to a crime fighter role. The way they fulfill these roles in the community is based on the application of a formal code of ethics of law enforcement and an informal police subculture. The two roles officers can adopt greatly influence their professional and moral behaviors. The formal code of ethics of law enforcement is a type of code adopted by most police agencies and taught in police academies to serve as a guide for expected behaviors as a law enforcement officer. When...
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...Culture Diversity in Criminal Justice Elaine Ramon CJA/344 November 15, 2011 Sherry Caperton Culture Diversity in Criminal Justice Culture diversity is one of the many issues facing the criminal justice department, including police departments. Culture diversity is important to get over because of the cultural and religious differences it brings. Socializing and studying cultural diversity brings about a better understanding. The more we understand other cultures and religions, the more tolerant we become. Throughout history in law enforcement all policemen were white, and especially no police women. Before the 1960s police departments were guilty of employment discrimination by not hiring minorities and women. Police departments also required applicants to be a certain height to keep minorities from applying and didn’t hire nonwhites (cliffnotes.com, 2011). One of the first African Americans to be hired in the United States as police officer was in Jackson Tennessee in 1960. When James Cherry was hired as a police he was sure he would not be welcomed by the white community, but instead he was rejected by the black community. Although James Cherry was a police officer he still had to follow the segregation rules (Morris, 2003). The first woman police officer was discovered to be in Chicago. According to Feminist Majority Foundation women were often hired to protect and supervise other women and juveniles. In 1893 Mary Owens was the first woman to be hired by the Chicago...
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