Kappeler: Community Policing, 6th Edition


Case Studies with Questions and Answers

Chapter 12: Toward a New Breed of Police Officer

The City of Boston, Massachusetts would like to evaluate its police force. Recently, there has been a rise in the number of complaints filed against its police officers. The population has complained that the officers are too ridged and do not understand the community that they serve. The goal is to better serve the community that it works for. Mayor Kelley Walsh and Police Chief Pavel Bure have examined possible solutions. According the basic ideas behind community policing the community should have a say in how they are policed. Mayor Walsh and Chief Bure organized a town hall meeting and asked members of different neighborhoods to come an participate so that they can express any concerns that they may have in reference to the way that the police and the population interact. Mayor Walsh and Chief Bure and concerned that the lines of communication between the community and the police department have broken down.

When evaluating the data from the last census Mayor Walsh and Chief Bure found that the ethnic makeup of the city of Boston has changed. For example, the city of Boston has had an influx of new immigrants from Eastern Europe. Specifically, since the fall of communism the city of Boston now has large Polish, Romanian, and Russian population. Additionally, the city of Boston is also receiving new immigrants from Puerto Rico.

Mayor Walsh and Chief Bure would like to know how to better train and prepare police officers to serve the community. What type of officer to hire and what type of background they should have?

Questions

  1. What types of psychological qualities should the Boston Police Department look for in its officer candidates?
  2. Correct Answer

    Officer candidates should be sensitive to the communities they serve. Officer candidates should be sensitive to, and tolerant of diversity. Additionally, officer candidates should demonstrate that they are able to think critically and not in a dichotomous way.


  3. What does the data suggest on complaints filed against police officers and what can the city of Boston do to reduce complaints filed?
  4. Correct Answer

    Research suggests that there is a correlation between education and disciplinary action taken against a police officer. A study conducted in Florida between 1997 and 2002 found those officers with only a high school education accounted for two thirds of all disciplinary actions issued. Officers with a two year degree accounted for 12% of disciplinary action. While officers with a bachelor's degree accounted for 11.9% of disciplinary action.


  5. What type of police office should the city of Boston try to hire in the future to better serve the community?
  6. Correct Answer

    In order to better communicate with the community, police officers should more closely mirror the sexual, racial, and ethnic composition of the communities they serve.


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