After viewing far too much news from the ‘unbiased’ electric media and reading what self-perceived experts on policing are spouting off, I have grown weary of their rhetoric. Every day there is another shocking video of police officers performing dastardly actions with some professor acting as an expert, offering play by play of the officer’s draconian actions. My question is what real policing experience does this intellectual possess? Oh that’s right, he or she was a crossing guard in grade school. Enough already from that side! After too many blog responses, emails, phone calls and locker room banter, let’s stop and look at this.
I keep hearing about the “Great War on Policing”. Stop, look around and find your departmental old gray haired curmudgeon or reel in a retiree or two. This is not the first time there was a major distrust with police. Go back to the late 1960’s (far before my time) between racial strife, Vietnam, starting the war on drugs and draft riots, there were no love-in’s held for coppers. The 1970’s were an extension of the 60’s until Vietnam shut down bringing on a partial lull of the hatred towards us. The last few decades were not as bad for the law enforcement. Enter the Professional Model era which morphed into Community Policing Model. The Pro Model was viewed as too strict (law and order) and did not address root causation of crime. So this transformed into the Community Policing model. Neither had boiling points for the public. However, now there is a new reality in police work. A selected portion of the public wants dead cops and lawlessness to prevail. Now come the demands for body cameras. There are real talking points for them on both sides, but clouded by legal limitations. Many proponents want the police taped but question the civil liberties of citizens. The camera may not blink but it has limited dimensional views and will never related the whole story. Most are looking for quick fixes and there are no quick, nor easy answers. There are going to be changes and there will be no stopping them. Therefore, let’s make them for our good, then the rest should fall into place.
I absolutely have howled laughing at some news reports and their confusion as to why there is de-policing and how it happened? If they are that numb to reality, they need to get out of investigative reporting. What is “de-policing” in real terms? To me, it is pure human nature and to put it into simplest terms, one side gets what they think they want. You don’t like being policed and all law and order needs t be removed. Once that occurs, then bedlam breaks out and now the former victims of over-policing want the coppers back to restore normal. I will offer up a basic precinct complaint and explain it in everyday terms. Nice citizens complain about speeders and reckless drivers in their neighborhood. They demand traffic enforcement right away, and they get it. The vast majority of the time, they are the ones cited first and now this is not what they really wanted. They wanted the other violators cited and not them. So now, beat cops who were doing what they were supposed to have done get complained on by the special interests leaders (again).
I will admit that the immediate future of policing is going to be tumultuous. This will not be for the faint of heart or weak stomachs. Yes, I know that there are some weighing their options as to if this is worth the effort and personal risks. Staff retention efforts will be strained to new levels for command staffs to maintain the ranks. We know if you hesitate, you will be a victim. If you have your doubts, then seek out more comfortable vocations and put your mind at ease. If you are going to be a Casper Milquetoast, then it is for the organizational best that you do go. Your hesitation could put others in harm’s way.
Police recruitment will be another new adventure. If there are those who are really wanting change, your chance has come. Take the test and compete for the job! You say you could do better, shut up and prove it. As I always say, be careful what you seek. It is not what the internet or the local experts say it is. If you have a big cupful of I could do it better, then try to strap on a shield and uniform. For the real coppers who think I have lost my mind on this, stop and think. You made it through the recruitment and academy gauntlet. Many sell wolf tickets that they could do this job, let them try if they can. Years ago, I had one young lad who was a liberal arts major and about nearly oblivious as he could be towards what the streets were like. He did not see a drug deal on the corner. It was the plight of urban youth who were socializing in the shadows. I named him “Officer New Wave”. He did fair until one memorable night until he was overwhelmed and a help call was placed for him. After the cavalry showed up, several arrested and nobody really hurt; he then had his epiphany. From the night of working his way from the bottom of the pile and tasting his own blood, he became a rock solid officer. He enrolled in several courses and tactical training schools. He is still on the job and getting it done. Strange how reality orientation can change your views. I am not saying all of the public who think they know better can do this job. Some have their conversion and some see the demands and will quieten down.
The biggest challenge I see for the future of law enforcement is our selection process and training systems. The standards of whatever civil service testing we are doing must be reviewed. I believe that we need to add a scenario or assessment center type process. This will be rejected for it is time consuming, expensive on all fronts and I am sure some attorney will challenge the process. How people react to life threatening stress and decision making must be reviewed in the process. The simple question of “how would you respond if…” is not going to cut it any longer. We must immediately review under the microscope how we select and train our officers. The traditional academy training of books, lectures, tests and practical / performance exams will no longer be enough. The Field Training Officer (FTO) program must be revisited. Somewhere there is a model that injects real world assessment of the recruit’s performance under stress. The standard norms that most of us were trained in will no longer suffice, get creative. If you measure how much it costs to recruit, train and equip an officer for the first year, you would be amazed. Now, review your department’s turnover rates and this can be a budget killer. Administrators and trainers need to review how we select and train for the future. If this is done correctly, we will lower our turn-over rates and lower our liabilities. Both of which should increase our citizen satisfaction and hopefully lower the risks of the street on us.
William L. Harvey | Chief
William L. "Bill" Harvey is a U.S. Army Military Police Corps veteran. He has a BA in criminology from St. Leo University and is a graduate of the Southern Police Institute of the University of Louisville (103rd AOC). Harvey served for over 23 years with the Savannah (GA) Police Department in field operations, investigations and completed his career as the director of training. Served as the chief of police of the Lebanon City Police Dept (PA) for over seven years and then ten years as Chief of Police for the Ephrata Police Dept (PA). In retirement he continues to publish for professional periodicals and train.
