Michigan State University Police Staffing Observatory’s Post

Our latest PSO Perspective, by Tanya Meisenholder, discusses civilians and police staffing. While civilians have historically had a significant role in policing, Meisenholder writes that they have not been fully embraced as a solution to staffing challenges, nor has their job satisfaction been a concern for many agencies. Meisenholder considers ways to improve the workplace for civilians, allowing for better integration and opportunities to address staffing challenges. For other PSO resources, see https://lnkd.in/geYz39tz. #MSUPSO #civilianization #policestaffing

Did you know that individuals applying for roles like police officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, and sheriff's deputies are required to undergo psychological evaluations in addition to physical exams? This raises an important question - should candidates for the United States Presidency also undergo psychological evaluations? Considering the immense responsibility of making decisions that impact millions in the US and globally, it's worth pondering the necessity of ensuring mental fitness for such a critical role. #PsychologicalEvaluation #DecisionMaking #Responsibility #mentalfitness

The continuing and co-ordinated public disorder across the UK has brought renewed calls for more extreme responses from police, including the use of water cannons and turning to the Army; former chief superintendent and specialist in public order policing Owen West MSt (Cantab), now a Senior Policing Lecturer at Edge Hill University, argues that while those measures may not be effective, there are steps that forces can take to strengthen public order policing in the short to medium term. ❝I seriously doubt any government or local leaders would want military personnel outside mosques, synagogues, hotels and the like. It’s a good headline but a tired one.❞ ❝In that vacuum we have seen a near-constant media criticism of the police, policing, and police officers – police characterised as brutal and soft woke seemingly at the same time. The officers I speak to are utterly sick of it and feel voiceless.❞ ❝We have to question the insistence on police getting up close, often a shield apart to a hostile crowd, and staying there to see who gets tired first. Is that fit for purpose given the police numbers in the short to medium term?❞ https://lnkd.in/e7rqf2qR #lawenforcement #policing #police #publicorder

🇬🇧 West Midlands Police are recruiting Armed Forces Service Leavers & Veterans 🇬🇧 Why ex-military personnel should consider a role within policing: 1.⁠ ⁠Veterans Possess a High Level of Discipline, Integrity and Responsibility. There is great pride in doing your job in the military and doing it to the best of your ability. Service members enjoy a community of shared values; likewise, many in law enforcement do, too. It's easy to draw the lines of comparison between military service and law enforcement when it comes to maintaining a high degree of discipline, integrity and personal responsibility. 2.⁠ ⁠Teamwork. Military veterans are not only trained to contribute to a team in order to thrive, but they also learn that they have to count on a team to survive. Likewise, police officers rely on each other to keep themselves and the public safe. 3.⁠ ⁠Critical Thinking, Especially During High-Stress Situations. As in the military, police officers require a high degree of critical thinking skills, including during high-stress scenarios. The military does a good job at training personnel to think and act quickly during life-or-death situations. 4.⁠ ⁠A Community of Shared Values As with the criminal justice system, most people join the military to be a part of something larger than themselves, to give back, and to help others. 5.⁠ ⁠A Desire to Serve Others Ask any service member you know why they joined the military. Chances are that part of their answer would include the fact that they wanted to serve others and make a difference. The same could be said of police officers. Apply today for support and direction into a career within policing. A career within West Midlands Police can include: Firearms Road Policing Dog Handling Counter Terrorism Complex Investigation Register for your free consultation today: https://lnkd.in/eq4yAh_e

At a United Nations dialogue on police reform today, I shared the following thoughts: • The name of the police should be changed to “People’s Police” to reflect their role in serving the citizens. Their uniforms, titles, and overall identity should clearly demonstrate accountability to the public. • During police training, they must be taught that they, like the rest of us, are citizens of this country, and they should learn how to treat fellow citizens with respect and fairness. • Police duty hours need to be regulated. Being perpetually on duty is neither a civilized nor a healthy work structure. • Lastly, police officers need to be trained to respect citizens as individuals, moving away from the colonial mindset of treating people as “subjects.” Respecting citizens as equals will foster mutual respect. #PoliceReform #Bangladesh #UNDP #UNWomen #UNFPA #UNICEF #SERAC_Bangladesh #IdeasToBuildANewBangladesh

10 essential steps for Police Officers, Deputy Sheriffs, or Federal Agents preparing for their next careers. Can you think of any others?!

Former Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner and National Police Chief’s Council Lead for Counter-Terrorism Policing Neil Basu QPM is one of the country’s most outspoken former senior cops; in the final part of a series of interviews with Policing Insight’s James Sweetland, he discussed institutional racism – what chief constables really think about this contentious label, the “utterly ineffective and utterly ignored” Police Race Action Plan, and why taking on neo-Nazi group National Action was one of his “proudest moments” in policing. ❝Why would a chief constable take diversity, equity and inclusion seriously when they’ve got a home secretary who is actively discouraging police officers from doing so?❞ - Neil Basu, former Met Assistant Commissioner ❝They’re absolutely convinced that there’s no such thing as institutional racism, which I find extraordinary from police officers, given our history of 200 years of over-policing and under-protecting every minority community – not just communities of colour.❞ - Neil Basu, former Met Assistant Commissioner ❝I’m not telling chief constables to blurt it out tomorrow. I’m asking them to sit down with their organisations and do their own ‘Casey’. Before you say you’re not institutionally racist, find out from your staff how they feel. Find out from your communities how they feel.❞ - Neil Basu, former Met Assistant Commissioner ❝People will find this very hard to understand, but the day after I gave my warrant card in, I started feeling unsafe again. I didn’t know why and then I suddenly realised I was just another Brown man on the street.❞ - Neil Basu, former Met Assistant Commissioner ❝This is probably the best place in the world to live as a non-White person in a White majority country. But if we want to keep it the best place to live, we’d better start talking more positively and transparently about migration.❞ - Neil Basu, former Met Assistant Commissioner [SUBSCRIBER ARTICLE] https://lnkd.in/e8T8PXzN #lawenforcement #policing #police #diversityandinclusion #racism

It starts with acceptance, accountability and a real desire to change. Forces must speak with their people and conduct thorough investigations (which they have experience in) and find out how staff really feel, rather than applying a plan that was specifically created around one particular Force. This should be conducted in a safe environment where all feel they can share without reprise or punishment. The key is Learning...not blaming. We the community can help, but forces are scared to reveal to the public the real truths. It won't work unless we have honesty.

The demand for policing is growing. Both from government and from the public. Much more is needed from within the organisation to support officers to deal with this demand. There’s also a need to get to grips with the internal wellbeing issues that continue to impact on performance, attendance and retention. It’s in building a community that will support officers. That starts from the top but it’s also bottom up as well.