1. Fair and Impartial Policing

2. (“NS” – New slide) Intro
All people, even well-intentioned people have biases.
We’ll discuss various biases.
We’ll explore what social-psychology has taught us.
Need to recognize our unconscious biases, so we can implement UNbiased behavior

3. Fair and Impartial Police Officers are more likely to
Be effective at solving crimes and handling disorder problems
Stay safe and go home at the end of the shift
Enhance/promote trust on the part of the people they serve

4. Goals of the Training Recognize our own human biases
Understand how implicit biases can affect your perceptions and behavior
Understand how biased policing impacts officers, community members, and the department
Develop skills and tactics to reduce the influence of bias on police practice and allow you to be effective and safe police professionals
NOTES:

5. During this training…
Leave your preconceived notions about “bias” training at the door—our approach is different from traditional training….

6. During this training…
Think about what it means to be an effective officer.

7. During this training…
Share your expertise…you bring rich experiences and expertise to the discussions.

8. This training…..
Requires active participation in all of the discussions, case studies and exercises.

9. Understanding Human Bias

10. Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent

11. Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias
Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-intentioned people have biases
Biases are often unconscious or “implicit”
Implicit biases are sometimes incompatible with our conscious attitudes
Implicit biases can influence our actions
Understanding how implicit bias can affect our perceptions and behavior is the first step to “override” implicit bias

12. To Understand Implicit Bias, We Need to Understand….
Whom we are most likely to pre-judge
What determines the characteristics we assign to them
Whether we know when we are prejudging people

13. To understand implicit bias:
Whom do we pre judge?
We prejudge people on sight
We prejudge “ambiguous stimuli”
We “fill in” …
What determines the characteristics we attribute to them?
Group stereotypes/biases
Stereotypes: organize info, based in part on facts

17. To understand implicit bias:
Whom do we pre judge?
We prejudge “ambiguous stimuli”
What determines the characteristics we attribute to them?
Group stereotypes/biases
Do we know when we are doing this?
Not always.

18. Policing – focus on racial/ethnic biases What are other bases on which people may be stereotyped (and treated differentially)?
Income
English language abilities
Gender
Age
Religious affiliation
Profession
Sexual orientation, identity
etc.

19. Woman/Man with a Gun Role Play
Anna: How to set up (See “resource materials”)
Implement, hold discussion (SB)
See page 2 of resource handout
Discussion: 2 versions
Side bar: Stay away from “tactics” discussion
End discussion with key point of role play…

20. Policing based on stereotypes is unsafe.
Key Point of Role Play
Policing based on stereotypes is unsafe.
Questions/Comments

21. Key Points of the “Blink” Response
Recognize the “blink” response”
Snap judgments, “thinking without thinking”
Can be helpful, but can be fallible
Replace “blink response” with objective (bias free) judgments

22. “Money Train” Woody Harrelson is an undercover officer.
Note: The use of the copyrighted material falls under fair use laws with no intended copyright violation.

23. Stereotyping and Human Bias
When we don’t know an individual, we assign a group characteristic to them
Often we do not know when we are impacted by biases (they can be unconscious or “implicit” biases)
Recognizing our biases allows us to override them—to engage in unbiased behavior.

24. Law enforcement officers deal with a variety of community members……

25. Mad World Video – Gary Jules
Hand out cards

26. Fiske
How do people in our society react to the homeless?
How might some officers treat the homeless versus person of means?

27. Key Point:
Policing based on stereotypes (biases) is unsafe, ineffective and unjust.

28. The race-crime association studies

29. The “Bump” Study
Study: Experiencing an ambiguous “bump” from a stranger
How did people interpret the bump by African Americans versus the bump by Whites?
Result: The “bump” was perceived as more threatening when performed by an African American.
Replicated to show this was true for both White and non-White “victims”/subjects.

30. The Visual Perception Study
Subjects were primed with Black male faces, White male faces, or no faces
Completed object recognition task
Eberhardt, Goff, Purdie, & Davies (2004). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

31. Levels of Degradation
Frame 41
Frame 1
Frame 25

32. Crime Object

33. Crime Object

34. Crime Neutral Objects

35. Hypotheses
If the Black-crime association impacts our visual perception, then:
Participants primed with Black male faces should be faster to identify crime-relevant objects than those primed with White male faces.
There should be no effect of prime for crime-irrelevant objects.

36. Object Identification
________________________________ 28
Crime-Relevant 26
Crime-Irrelevant 24
Frame number 22 20 18 16
Flashing White
Faces
No Faces
(Control)
Flashing Black
Faces

37. Visual Perception Study: Conclusions
Exposure to Black male faces facilitated the identification of crime-relevant objects.
Exposure to White male faces inhibited the identification of crime-relevant objects.

38. Be a research participant!
We will see slides of backgrounds and then a person will appear—very quickly—with something in his hands.
Shout “Threat” if you see a threat
[Silent if no threat]

59. Correll Results: Race Made a Difference
Speed: Participants shot a White armed man slower than a Black armed man Errors: Participants were more likely to shoot an unarmed Black man than an unarmed White man

60. The Turban Effect Study
Research volunteers played a computer game that showed apartment balconies on which different figures appeared, some wearing Muslim-style turbans or hijabs and others bare-headed.
They were told to shoot at the targets carrying guns and spare those who were unarmed.

61. The Turban Effect Results
People were much more likely to shoot Muslim-looking characters even if they were carrying an “innocent item” instead of a weapon.
They also found a gender effect: Subjects were more likely to shoot men than women (even when harmless). Unkelbach, Forgas & Denson (2008). J. of Experimental Social Psychology.

62. [NS] Implications for LE
Officers may see danger when none there (over-vigilent)
May overlook danger (under-viligent)
($ Train)

63. Implicit bias linked to officer safety and effectiveness; Officers may:
Increase their scrutiny of people of color
Interpret ambiguous behavior on the part of people of color as more aggressive
Respond to people of color more aggressively (e.g., as criminals)
Under-respond to Whites, Asians, etc.
etc.

64. Biases are Based, at Least in Part, on Fact

65. One example pertains to race and crime
Criminologists have shown that people of color are disproportionately involved in street crimes.

66. Economic Status, Race and Crime
A = Lower income people are more likely to commit street crimes
B = People of color are disproportionately represented in lower income levels
A+B=C People of color are disproportionately represented among people who commit street crimes

67. [NS] But, that stereotypes are sometimes based in part on fact….
Does not justify your making policing decisions based on those stereotypes.
Such decisions can be unsafe, ineffective or unjust.

68. Crash Scene: The Streets of Los Angeles
Usage of the copyrighted material falls under fair use laws with no intended copyright violation.

69. Policing based on biases is unsafe, ineffective, and unjust
Key Point
Policing based on biases is unsafe, ineffective, and unjust

70. Implicit Bias Manifests in Non-Prejudiced People

71. [NS] Implicit bias manifests even in non-prejudiced people
Exists even in individuals who consciously hold non-prejudice ideals/attitudes
EX: Many minorities have a race-crime/danger implicit bias (Bump Study)….

72. [NS] Some think: Biased policing is “someone else’s issue”
Often think that because of their progressive attitudes towards other groups, they must be bias free
Quite likely: They are wrong.

73. Addressing Our Implicit Biases

74. [NS] Two remedies for our implicit bias “affliction”
Reducing our implicit biases
Recognizing our biases and thwart their impact on behavior.

75. Reducing Implicit Bias: Contact Theory
Positive contact between members of groups improves inter-group attitudes and reduces both explicit and implicit biases.
POSITIVE (e.g., people’s experiences with police)
Examples?

76. Personal Contacts and Implicit Biases in Officers
Peruche and Plant (2005) Measured implicit bias on the part of officers
Shoot/don’t shoot simulator to measure implicit bias
Surveys too
Police, too, manifest implicit racial bias
But implicit racial/ethnic bias is weaker in officers who report positive interpersonal contacts with racial/ethnic minorities

77. [NS] Reducing implicit biases by “Unlinking Stereotypes”
Difficult to undo our implicit biases….took lifetime
BUT police firearms training seems to help us unlink the stereotypes we associate with groups (e.g., minorities and danger)
How might this work?
Repeatedly exposed to random pairing of threat and race (and other demographics)

78. Simulator training can help us unlink: Correll Study Number 2
Methods: Both civilians and cops, shoot don’t shoot simulator
Speed: Both police and civilians exhibited robust racial bias
Errors: Bias was less likely to manifest itself in the decisions by police.
Bottom Line: Police made the correct decisions…..

79. Interpretation:
High quality, role play use-of-force training helps police “unlink” race & crime for split-second use-of-force decisions.

80. [Remedy #1: Reduce implicit biases] [NS] Remedy #2: Recognize our biases and thwart their impact

81. Implementing “Controlled (unbiased) Behavior”
If we recognize our biases, we can implement “controlled behaviors” that override our (natural) implicit biases.
Examples?
In fact, science: People who recognize their biases and are motivated (well-meaning) can override.

82. Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias, In Summary
Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-intentioned people have biases
Biases are often unconscious or “implicit”
Implicit biases sometimes conflict with our conscious attitudes
Implicit biases can influence our actions
Understanding how implicit bias can affect our behavior is the first step to “override” implicit bias

83. The Impact of Biased Policing on Community Members and the Department
Module 2 [LAF Intro]

84. Previous module Science of implicit bias – perceptions and behaviors
Forms of implicit bias with policing relevance (including race-crime)
Biased policing is ineffective, unsafe, unjust

85. This Module: Biased Actions Impact
Community members
Your law enforcement agency

86. Impact of biased policing on individuals
Testimonial: Captain Will Hill
RI State Police

87. Fair and Impartial Policing Engenders Community Respect and Cooperation

88. How do you and your agency benefit when the community trusts and respects you?

89. Research Demonstrates
Police cannot be effective without support/cooperation of the community
Community members who perceive the police as being fair see them as a legitimate authority
Examples of support/cooperation due to trust, perceptions of legitimacy?

90. Your Role in Engendering Police Legitimacy

91. [NS]
Your daily interactions can influence community support of the department
Some cops think – no one sees/cares
YOUR actions determine whether the community thinks agency is legitimate
One aspect: Ensuring your actions are fair and impartial.
AND ensuring that community SEES/PERCEIVES fair and impartial policing.

92. Police Legitimacy Impacts the Public’s Willingness To:
Obey societal laws
Cooperate with the police
Assist with crime prevention efforts
Assist with valuable information during criminal investigations
Support criminal prosecutions

93. Police Legitimacy Also Impacts on the Public’s….
Trust and confidence in the police.

94. SUMMARY: Fair and Impartial Policing Results In….
Community trust and cooperation
Legitimacy of police among community members
Safe policing
Effective policing
“Good” policing

95. Skills for Producing Fair, Impartial and Effective Policing
Recruit Module 3

96. Goals of the Training Recognize your own human biases
Understand how implicit biases can affect our perceptions and behavior
Understand how biased policing impacts community members and the department
Develop skills and tactics to reduce the influence of bias on police practice and allow us to be effective and safe police professionals
NOTES:

97. Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias
Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-intentioned people have biases
Biases are often unconscious or “implicit”
Implicit biases are sometimes incompatible with our conscious attitudes
Implicit biases can influence our actions
Understanding implicit bias or is the first step to “override” implicit bias

98. [NS] Two ways we can impact on our biases
Reduce
Recognize

99. [NS] This session: Learn/apply skills to promote FIP
Good for anyone…. But especially police.

100. Fair and Impartial Police Officers are more likely to
Be effective at solving crimes and handling disorder problems
Stay safe and go home at the end of the shift
Enhance/promote trust on the part of the people they serve

101. Pantomime

102. Pantomime Debrief Some saw: Medical emergency, crime in progress, etc.
Point: People can interpret same stimuli differently
Challenge what you think you see

103. Domestic Violence Role Play

104. [NS] DV Debrief
Whom did the responding team initially think was the abuser?
On what did they base that assumption?
What skills do officers need to ID the correct offender?

105. Side Bar
Discussion can take one of two directions depending on team performance:
Team went for the guy
Team correctly ID’d female abuser
Reinforce this correct response: How? Did they “Correct” for their initial responses? Focused on behavior not biases?
How might other officers have incorrectly gone for the guy.

106. [NS] Both exercises related to our first skill
Recognize your implicit biases
[pantomime, DV]…..

107. [NS] Difficult to rid ourselves of biases
We can make sure our biases don’t impact behavior
Recognize
Override

108. [NS] Examples Taylor: Runs tags only on young Hispanics males
What’s wrong with this?
How might he correct this?
[relevant research…]

109. Meehan and Ponder (2002)
Found that police were more likely to run warrant checks on African Americans than Whites in white neighborhoods….
but less likely to find warrants on the African Americans compared to the Whites.

110. [NS] Other examples:
Becker: At crash scenes, always approaches driver of nice car first
Officer Michaels: Recognizes that, on minor traffic violations, he only writes citations for men (gives women warnings).

111. Lessons from role plays and Taylor, Becker, Michaels:
Recognize your implicit biases, challenge what you think you see
Implement controlled responses
Test yourself: “Would I be proceeding this way, but for the fact that this person is………”

112. Beware: “Gut reactions” might be based on your (implicit) biases……

113. [NS: Instead of gut reactions]
Rely on facts, intelligence, other valid information
Focus on facts at hand
Gather additional information
Use critical judgment
Do not let gender, race, age, etc. inappropriately impact assumptions
Don’t be “Susan Boyled”

114. [Restate] Skill #1: Recognize your implicit biases and implement “controlled (unbiased) responses” …

115. [Other] Skills to Produce Fair, Impartial and Effective Policing
Avoid “profiling by proxy”
Analyze options with a fair and impartial policing lens
Reduce ambiguity: slow it down
Reduce ambiguity: engage with the community.

116. Skill #2: Avoid “Profiling by Proxy”

117. [NS] Our message has been: “Recognize your OWN biases”
This skill (Profiling by Proxy): Beware other people’s implicit biases
Don’t let THEIR biases impact YOUR behavior

118. “Birmingham cop” video:
What would you do and why?
Do you have to intervene?
Do you really have to respond to every behavior the public finds offensive?
Does a couple have the right to do what they are doing?
Are they doing anything illegal?
What’s the down side to intervening?

119. [NS] Lesson: Avoid Profiling by Proxy
You do not have to intervene in all situations.
You must use critical judgment.
Throughout this training: You are learning to recognize/handle your OWN biases…
Here we emphasize: Do not let others’ biases impact on your behavior.

120. Skill #3: Analyze Your Options with a “Fair and Impartial Policing” (FIP) Lens

121. Scenario
A woman in an all-White neighborhood calls to report a “suspicious man in a car” out in front of her house. It appears that the only thing that is “suspicious” is that the man is Black; she is unable to articulate or identify any behaviors that indicate criminal activity.
In your teach-back groups: What are your options and the pros/cons of each?

122. Point of discussion Not one right answer
Point (skill): Think about options with a “fair and impartial policing lens”
Think about the perspective of the person in the car…

123. [NS] Revised scenario
Same circumstance, but this time the man fits the description of a person in a vehicle who committed a home burglary in the area.
You approach and question.
He convinces you he is not the burglar
He is angry and accuses you of biased policing
How might you respond?

124. [NS] Responses Key = Reduce frustration/anger
Provide specific info on recent burglary
How he matched BOLO
Demonstrate empathy
Apologize for inconvenience
Tell him how to follow up

125. [NS] Yet another scenario
You have made a legitimate traffic stop and the woman in that situation accuses you of stopping her because she is Hispanic.
How do you respond?
How do officers mess this up?
[car door conversation….downhill]

126. [NS] Our suggested response
“I am sorry that you feel that way, but I stopped you because…..”
Acknowledges the person’s concern
Steers conversation back to business.

127. [Summary of Skill #3] With Your FIP Lens…
Challenge what you think you see
Recognize your own biases
Recognize others’ biases
Consider bias-free options
Consider the viewpoint of people with whom you are interacting
Minimize negative impacts (including potential perceptions of biased-policing) with strong communication skills

128. Skills #4 and #5: Reduce Ambiguity
#4: When feasible, “slow it down”
#5: Engage with community members

129. [NS] Why reduce ambiguity?
In discussion of Susan Boyle:
We prejudge people who are “ambiguous stimuli”
Attribute group stereotypes to them
Do not always know this is happening

130. [NS] #4: Reduce ambiguity, slow it down
Man on a Porch exercise
See your resource materials
“Man on the Porch, Recruit Handout”

131. [NS] Key Point
Officers acted quickly and a tragic outcome was produced
They misread cues.
Bias might have impacted their decisions.
When you can, slow it down.
Reduce ambiguity
Gather more information before you act (if you can)
So you don’t act on your biases.

132. Skill #5: Reduce ambiguity, engage with community members
Contact Theory: Revisited
Positive contact between members of groups improves inter-group attitudes and reduces both explicit and implicit biases.
Positive contact reduces ambiguity about individuals and groups
Get to know your communities…

133. Think of youths, parents, other adults, business owners.
Write down three very specific things you could do in a week’s time to engage with members of a community.
Think of youths, parents, other adults, business owners.

134. [Summary] Skills #4 and #5: Reduce Ambiguity
#4: When feasible, “slow it down”
#5: Engage with community members

135. Summary of Key Points: Module 1
All people, even well-intentioned people have biases
They can be “implicit” (unconscious)
Susan Boyle:
We prejudge,
We fill them in,
Often we don’t know

136. [Sum, Module 1 Cont.]
Even though stereotypes might be based in part on fact (remember Sandra Bullock)…..
Policing based on biases can be unsafe, ineffective and unjust
Shoot don’t shoot (not shooting white…..)
$ Train
Treating homeless
Man/woman with gun and DV role plays

137. Summary of Key Points: Module 2
Biased policing has negative consequences for community members and the department
Biased policing erodes community trust
Community trust is essential for cooperation and support of officers and the department
Community trust is essential for police legitimacy

138. Module 3: To be a fair and impartial officer, you need to
Recognize your implicit biases and implement “controlled (unbiased) responses”
Avoid “profiling by proxy”
Analyze options with a fair and impartial policing lens
Reduce ambiguity: (a) slow it down, and (b) engage with the community.

139. We hope this training… Better understanding science of human bias
Renewed your appreciation of negative impact
You learned skills ….will serve you.
Thank you!!