Multicultural Representation in Law Enforcement: Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion

1. Multicultural Representation in Law Enforcement: Recruitment, Retention, and Promotion Chapter 3

2. Learning Objectives for Chapter 3 • Recognize historical perspectives of women and minorities in law enforcement • Discuss the ongoing challenges of recruitment trends with respect to women and minorities in law enforcement agencies • Explain recruitment difficulties and strategies for recruitment success

3. Learning Objectives for Chapter 3 • Describe the importance of retention and promotion of minorities and women in law enforcement careers • Identify promotional policies and practices in law enforcement agencies that would demonstrate the valuing of differences in our workplaces and communities

4. Expanded Responsibilities of Police • Population shifts in United States require police to interact with more different types of people • Post-September 11, 2001 requires local police to take on a greater homeland security mission • Education is important, but police officers must have problem-solving skills and accept racial and cultural diversity

5. Profile of Federal, Local, and County Personnel • U.S. Department of Justice collects information on law enforcement agencies • Progress has been made for women and minorities • The numbers still do not represent the demographics of our communities

6. Recruitment Crisis • Shortage of qualified applicants for police departments and a struggle for departments to maintain authorized strength • Budget crisis in law enforcement directs qualified applicants to the private sector • Millions of young people are arrested each year for crimes that disqualify them for police work

7. Mini-Case StudyOakland, California Police Department What would you do?

8. Recruitment Difficulties 1. Senior management is not sending the “diversity message” • Lack demonstrated commitment • Lack of value statement or policy 2. Informal networking channels are closed to outsiders • All-white, all-male network and activities • Discomfort with activities such as recreational gambling, fishing, sports, or roughhousing

9. Recruitment Difficulties 3. In-house recruiters are looking in the wrong places to find diverse candidates • Need to use different methods • Community networks and resources 4. Differences in life experience are not taken into account • Single person’s GPA • Married (and with children) person’s GPA • Single parent’s GPA • Other factors .

10. Recruitment Difficulties 5. Negative judgments are made based on personality or communication style differences • Accent and communication differences • Assertiveness and other personality factors 6. The candidate is not introduced to people who are like him or her • Race, ethnicity, or gender groups in the organization • Mentor or support groups available

11. Recruitment Difficulties 7. Organizations are not able or willing to take the time to do a thorough search • Diverse candidates take longer – 4 to 6 weeks more on average • Commitment of resources and time by employer 8. Early identification is missing from the recruitment program • Internships, scholarships, and placements • Police-affiliated programs (e.g., PAL)

12. Recruitment Strategies 1. Commitment 2. Planning • Target colleges and universities • Target military bases and reserve units • Target churches, temples, mosques, synagogues, and other places • Target gymnasiums, fitness and martial arts facilities, etc.

13. Recruitment Strategies (Continued) 3. Resources a. Advantages in consolidating resources 1. Save money 2. Develop a larger pool of applicants 3. Compete with private industry 4. Save time it takes to process applicants

14. Recruitment Strategies (Continued) 4. Selection and training of recruiters a. Requirements should include: 1. Commitment to the goal of recruiting 2. Belief in a philosophy that values diversity 3. Ability to work well in a community policing environment

15. Recruitment Strategies (continued) 5. Belief in and ability to market a product: law enforcement as a career 6. Comfort with people of all backgrounds and ability to communicate this comfort 7. Ability to discuss the importance of entire community representation in police work and the advantages to the department without sounding patronizing

16. Recruitment Strategies (continued) 8. Recruiting incentives a. Overtime or comp time credit 9. Community involvement 10. High school police academy 11. Adopt-a-cop program

17. Mini-Case Study:Richmond, California Police Department What would you do?

18. Selection Processes 1. Satisfaction level for employees • Positive and inclusive workplace culture • Survey and culture assessments important • Policies and procedures reviewed • Supervisors’ commitment, support and assistance • Field training programs reviewed and evaluated • Role models and mentors

19. Selection Processes 2. Applicant screening • Basic qualifications • Intelligence and problem-solving capacity • Psychological fitness • Current and past illegal drug use • Character as revealed by records, background checks, credit history, and polygraph examination • Aptitude and ability to serve others • Racial, ethnic, gender, sexual orientation, and cultural biases

20. Selection Processes 3. Officers who will carry out their duties with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality and who will respect the civil rights and dignity of the people they serve: • Standard psychometric testing • Careful background investigations by staff • Use of candidate’s own statements about racial issues • Use of interviews with references about how the applicant feels about and treat members of other racial, ethnic, gender, sexual-orientation groups • Use of current job analysis statement with applicant

21. Selection ProcessesApplicant Screening (continued) Interview questions of references should include: • How the applicant has interacted with other groups • What people of diverse groups say about the applicant • Whether the applicant has ever experienced conflict or tension with member of diverse groups or individuals and how he or she handled the experience

22. Applicant ScreeningHiring in the Spirit of Service • A cooperative agreement awarded to the Community Policing Consortium (CPC) and the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community-Oriented Police Services (COPS) • Recruit applicants who are service-oriented (similar to the professions of teaching, nursing, and counseling) rather than those who tend to only be “crime fighters” • Five law enforcement agencies were selected to serve as demonstration sites for the study. • Burlington, VT; Sacramento, CA; Detroit, MI; Hillsborough County, FL; and King County, WA

23. Examples of Successful Recruiting Programs Agencies who have had success in recruiting female and minority applicants: • Portland, OR—In 2003, 16 percent women and 13 percent minority sworn officers • Madison, WI—In 2003, 30 percent women and 18 percent minority sworn officers • Pittsburgh, PA—In 2003, 25 percent women sworn officers • Albuquerque, NM—In 2002, 33 percent of the academy classes were women recruits • Tucson, AZ—New Workplace for Women Project resulted in 29 percent women recruits and 47 percent minority recruits

24. Equal Employment Opportunities Title 7 of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 • Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin • 1972 EEO Act passage now applies to state and local governments

25. Affirmative Action • Legally mandated programs whose aim is to increase the employment or educational opportunities of groups that have been disadvantaged in the past • Legal issues: • California Proposition 209 • University of Michigan Law School Admission Policy in which race can be considered (U.S. Supreme Court Ruling)

26. Mini-Case StudyRecruiting Strategies What would you do?

27. Retention and Promotion of a Diverse Workforce • Lack of promotions is a severe problem • Women face “glass ceiling” • IACP 1998 study shows that 60 percent of the women who leave law enforcement occupations do so between their second to fifth year on the job • Shift to community policing can help address trust issues

28. 2004 Catalyst StudyReasons Why Senior-Level Women Leave Police Organizations 1. 42 percent citing increased compensation 2. 35 percent to accept opportunity to develop new skills or competencies 3. 33 percent to pursue greater advancement opportunities Catalyst: http//www.catalyst.org

29. What is the “Glass Ceiling”? • An invisible and often perceived barrier • The perceived barrier prevents some ethnic or racial groups and women from becoming promoted or hired • Question Do you think the “glass ceiling” only affects women and minority officers in the police departments in your local community and state? Source: Marilyn Loden

30. How to Go Through the Glass Ceiling? Useful practices have included the following: 1. Have objective and measurable standards 2. Have quantitative and qualitative standards 3. Have consistent performance standards 4. Hold the agency and senior managers accountable for their actions Example provided from the Criminal Justice Curriculum used at Portland Community College by Aaron T. Olson

31. Mini-Case StudySpecial Weapons and Tactics Unit What would you do?