Media and Police: Bridges to the Community Karen L. Amendola, Ph.D. Police Foundation Institute for Integrity, Leadership, and Professionalism December 7, 2001

Who’s Policing the Police? The Stories Racial/ethnic profiling Racial/ethnic profiling Abuse of authority Abuse of authority Excessive use of force (frequency) Excessive use of force (frequency) Use of excessive force (degree) Use of excessive force (degree) Litigation Litigation Recruitment Recruitment Need for new performance standards Need for new performance standards Civilian oversight Civilian oversight Early warning systems Early warning systems

CUTTING EDGE POLICE ISSUES: Post 9-11 environment has led to need for greater citizen involvement in law enforcement Post 9-11 environment has led to need for greater citizen involvement in law enforcement Community trust and confidence in the police is essential for ensuring safety, security, and compliance with basic principles of democracy (fairness, equity) Community trust and confidence in the police is essential for ensuring safety, security, and compliance with basic principles of democracy (fairness, equity)

Racial/Ethnic Profiling: The Story Behind the Story More complex than it appears on the face More complex than it appears on the face NOT just about data collection, but why collect data, what to collect, and what questions it may answer NOT just about data collection, but why collect data, what to collect, and what questions it may answer The issue is important because of long standing social conditions, and community perceptions of bias or CULTURE The issue is important because of long standing social conditions, and community perceptions of bias or CULTURE

Abuse of Authority: The Story Behind the Story Officers believe that the public and media are “too concerned” with police abuse of authority (Weisburd, Greenspan, Hamilton, Bryant, Williams; Police Foundation Report) Officers believe that the public and media are “too concerned” with police abuse of authority (Weisburd, Greenspan, Hamilton, Bryant, Williams; Police Foundation Report) It is as much about the Culture (inside the police agency and outside) as it is about the individual officers It is as much about the Culture (inside the police agency and outside) as it is about the individual officers

Force Frequency/Degree: The Story Behind the Story We emphasize “less than lethal” force, but not necessarily alternatives to force altogether We emphasize “less than lethal” force, but not necessarily alternatives to force altogether Emphasis on force more often than kindness (kindness and policing seem not to go together) Emphasis on force more often than kindness (kindness and policing seem not to go together) Seoul Korea Metro Police Seoul Korea Metro Police Concept of “FRIENDLY POLICING” Concept of “FRIENDLY POLICING” Force is about the Culture (inside and outside the agency) Force is about the Culture (inside and outside the agency)

Litigation: The Story Behind the Story Increasing numbers of law suits has led to need for accountability mechanisms Increasing numbers of law suits has led to need for accountability mechanisms Agencies must recognize that positive relationships with the community, media, and officers can limit litigation Agencies must recognize that positive relationships with the community, media, and officers can limit litigation Again, litigation is as much about the internal and external Culture as it is about specific cases Again, litigation is as much about the internal and external Culture as it is about specific cases

Difficulty in Recruiting: The Story Behind the Story Loss of respect toward police and a strong 90s economy Loss of respect toward police and a strong 90s economy Problem not quantity, but quality Problem not quantity, but quality Quality isn’t just about MONEY$ Quality isn’t just about MONEY$ Inconsistency in recruitment messages! (Amendola, ACJS) Inconsistency in recruitment messages! (Amendola, ACJS) Again, the Culture (internal and external) influences recruitment Again, the Culture (internal and external) influences recruitment

Performance Standards: The Story Behind the Story We still do not know what constitutes “good” performance We still do not know what constitutes “good” performance We need new ideas of what to measure and how We need new ideas of what to measure and how Police culture has focused on the easily measurable (again, Culture plays a major role) Police culture has focused on the easily measurable (again, Culture plays a major role)

Oversight & EWS: The Story Behind the Story Demands for early identification of “problem officers” and citizen oversight have resulted from: Demands for early identification of “problem officers” and citizen oversight have resulted from: Perceptions of unfair treatment Perceptions of unfair treatment Perceptions of bias in policing Perceptions of bias in policing LACK OF COMMUNITY TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE (THE ISSUE)—this is all about Culture LACK OF COMMUNITY TRUST AND CONFIDENCE IN THE POLICE (THE ISSUE)—this is all about Culture

THE STORY All issues flow to or from community trust and confidence All issues flow to or from community trust and confidence The issues do NOT exist in isolation; to resolve the issues requires addressing CULTURE and ENVIRONMENT as a whole system The issues do NOT exist in isolation; to resolve the issues requires addressing CULTURE and ENVIRONMENT as a whole system Police-community-media-politics, etc. Police-community-media-politics, etc.

Parallels between Police and Media : Community confidence and trust are essential to police success, as well as to media success Community confidence and trust are essential to police success, as well as to media success Similar roles?? Similar roles?? Similar tools?? Similar tools?? Similar environments??? Similar environments???

OUR ROLE: Provide Protection Provide Protection Investigate Investigate Provide Service Provide Service Provide Information Provide Information Educate Educate Get the Bad Guys Get the Bad Guys Expose the Unexposed Expose the Unexposed Investigate Investigate Provide Service Provide Service Provide Information Provide Information Educate Educate Get the Facts or Story Get the Facts or Story Police:Media:

TOOLS of the TRADE: “Informants” “Informants” Technology Technology Citizen Tax $ Citizen Tax $ “Sources” “Sources” Technology Technology Advertiser and Subscriber $ Advertiser and Subscriber $ Police:Media:

OUR ENVIRONMENT Internal and External Politics Internal and External Politics High Pace, High Pressure High Pace, High Pressure 24/7 Schedule 24/7 Schedule Often Dangerous Often Dangerous Driven by Community Needs Driven by Community Needs SAME? SAME? Police:Media:

POLICE-MEDIA-COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP: Community confidence and trust in police is highly influenced by media Community confidence and trust in police is highly influenced by media Many police don’t trust media, so they fail to provide information Many police don’t trust media, so they fail to provide information Negative police actions are often not fully explained by police or media so police appear to be hiding information more mistrust Negative police actions are often not fully explained by police or media so police appear to be hiding information more mistrust The police get defensive about the negative portrayals, and therefore are seen as supporting bad behavior The police get defensive about the negative portrayals, and therefore are seen as supporting bad behavior

Need for Community Bridges: Police and Media Role The Police and Media have an obligation to work together in progressive ways to promote community trust and confidence, by earning it The Police and Media have an obligation to work together in progressive ways to promote community trust and confidence, by earning it TV tickers, news and magazine “Police Scorecard” – provide ongoing data and information TV tickers, news and magazine “Police Scorecard” – provide ongoing data and information