1. Chapter Nine Police –Community Relations
Police in America
Chapter Nine
Police –Community Relations

2. Definition of Police Community Relations
Police-community relations refers primarily to relations between the police and racial and ethnic minority communities.

3. Different racial and ethnic groups
Hispanic
More likely to experience police initiated contact
Largest racial or ethnic minority group by 2010
Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Haiti, Central and South America
Native American
Higher crime rate on reservation
Tribal police
Asian Americans
Vietnam, Cambodia are newest immigrants
African American

4. Public Opinion and the police
Racial and Ethnic differences
Significant differences of different racial and ethnic groups
Majority of African Americans and Hispanics have a favorable attitude toward the police
Attitudes about police use of force
60% white favorable
33% black favorable
42% Hispanic favorable

5. Public Opinion and the police
Vast majority of Americans have a positive attitude toward the police.
Racial and ethnic minorities consistently rate the police less favorably than whites.
A majority of African Americans and Hispanics gives the police a generally favorable rating.
Young people rate the police less favorably than older people.
Poor people, less educated people, and crime victims tend to rate the police lower than others.
There are significant differences in opinions about the police among different cities.

6. Police Field Practices
Deadly Force
Source of major conflict between minorities and police
Changed significantly over last 40 years
Does current disparity between African Americans and whites shot and killed represent systematic discrimination?
Use of Physical Force
Most common complaint by minorities
Use of force continuum
Police use force more often against
Criminal suspects
Male suspects
Black males
Drunk and antagonistic
Physical resistance

7. Police Field Practices
Arrest
African Americans more than whites relative to their percentage in the population
Arrests of blacks more likely declined for prosecution than whites
Drug offences
Traffic Stops
Driving while black
Driving while brown
Driving while female
Field interrogations and searches
Being out of place
Conflicting evidence

8. Police Field Practices
Verbal Abuse and ethnic slurs
Rodney King incident
Canine Units
Higher incidence of dog bites
Delay in Responding to calls
Family disturbance
Abuse of gay men, lesbians, and transgendered persons
Abuse and disrespect

9. Administrative practices
Handling Citizen Complaints
Whitewash officer conduct?
Hispanic Americans less likely to file complaints
Employment practices
Racial and ethnic minorities underrepresented in departments
Improving police-community relations
Creating special police-community relations units
Training for officers