MINORITIES LACK TRUST IN POLICE

DEFINING THE SOCIAL PROBLEM There is a breakdown of confidence between New York City Police and minorities. Minorities do not feel their civil rights are being respected and that police are using excessive force against them. New York City Mayor and City Council 1.Lack of confidence in the mayor and the police. 2.Increased racial tensions. 3.Decline in police morale. 4.Rise in crime, in particular, homicides.

Gathering Evidence Of The Problem Minorities lack trust in police. Evidence: 1.Excessive force used against Amadou Diallo. 2.Sexual torture case of Abner Louima. 3.Killing of an unarmed Patrick Dorismond. 4.Protesting and increasing tensions between minorities and police. 5.Increase in homicides and other acts of lawlessness during the past six months. (Post) 6.Retirements in police increasing, number of candidates decreasing. (Daily News)

Identifying The Causes Of The Problem Minorities lack trust in police. 1.Political partisanship- Democrats attack the Republican mayor and the police to gain minority votes. (Republicans do the same-Elian Gonzalez case.) 2.Demagogues use racial incidents against the police and mayor to stir up tensions. 3.Mayor Giuliani has failed to provide adequate leadership in opening the lines of communication with leaders of minority communities. 4.The news media has helped to create this crisis by fanning racial divisions.

Evaluating Existing Public Policies Minorities lack trust in police 1.One major existing policy – attempts to recruit more minorities. 2.Advantages of policy – good for public acceptance, helps to reflect the diversity of the city and helps in obtaining better results. 3.Disadvantages of policy – only 39% of force is made up of minorities (includes women), increased spending to recruit minorities and lowering of standards. 4.The current policy needs to be improved and other policies added.

Developing Public Policy Solutions Minorities lack trust in police I.New public policy alternatives. 1.Police interaction program with children ages in a social, recreational and/or educational setting. Goal would be to create better trust, communication and understanding between police and the people they work with. The program could take place in the junior high schools. Require police to give five extra hours a week in the communities they work with overtime pay.

2.New training programs in areas of courtesy and professionalism. Minorities, particularly the young, feel the police do not respect their rights and treat them with an attitude. This in turn causes minorities to take an attitude toward the police. 3.Pass a residency law for eligible candidates for the department.

Selecting The Best Public Policy Solution Effectiveness HighMediumLow High 1 Medium 3 Low 2 Feasibility 1.Interaction program 2. Improve training 3. Residency law

Reasons For Decisions In The Matrix Number 1 would be highly effective in the long run. It would begin to create better lines of communication and trust between the police and minority youth. It would also serve to increase recruitment of minorities to the police department. Feasibility would be medium to low. The City Council would have to give the mayor more control of the schools. This is currently being discussed. You would need cooperation of the principals and the Board of Education. There would also be a need to raise qualifications for eligible candidates to the police. The police budget would have to be increased.

Number 3, passing a residency requirement for candidates might have medium effectiveness. Feasibility is low. At present the police are finding it difficult to fill the next class at the academy. The reasons given are the good economy, bad publicity and the danger involved with the job. Despite an expensive campaign there is a recruitment problem. To limit the pool of candidates would be counterproductive. Number 2, improving training is the most feasible and easiest to implement. It might be the least effective in bridging the division that exists.