LOOKING AHEAD:
Future Problems, Future Tools
David L. Carter, Ph.D.
Michigan State University
The information in this presentation was prepared for the WSU Regional Community Policing Institute, by
David L. Carter, Ph.D., National Center for Community Policing, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI
48824. The information may be reproduced with attribution to both the WSU RCPI and the author.
The Future
It’s Closer Than You Think
 We have difficulty envisioning the future because as a
society we tend to view problems and issues in the present
 History gives us a perspective we can understand;
anticipating the future is far more difficult
 Looking at what we have experienced in our lifetimes
illustrates the dramatic changes which have occurred
 Would you have envisioned…
x The break-up of the Soviet Union?
x Instant global communication?
x A war on television?
Our challenge is to open our minds and not look at the future in the
limited context of our history
The Future
It’s Closer Than You Think
• A number of issues are facing us in the future
• The direction and application of community
policing must respond to these contemporary
trends
• Think creatively--do not lock your perspective
of community policing solely in an historical
context
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• The practice started with drug interdiction
profiles (Operation Pipeline)
• Profiles invariably included race as a
variable
• Dilemmas
x A complete profile can be accurate
x Officer behavior tends to stereotype
• Perception of racial profiling can be as
damaging as the actual practice
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Do we throw out a useful tool if:
x If it gives the perception of impropriety?
x If it offends members of the community?
• No easy answers--Remedies include:
x Analysis to provide more explicit profiles
x Training on the proper use and application of a
profile
x Greater supervisory oversight in use of profiles
x Awareness training related to perceptions
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• A 19-year old black college student observed:
“Why do the police always stop a black man when
they see him alone at night? They think if you are a
black male out late at night, you’re a criminal. Cops
are prejudiced!”
• A 29-year-old police officer in a graduate class said:
“I stop and check out people who are suspicious in
light of my experience and the circumstances I
observe at the time. I am accused of being prejudiced,
but I am only doing the job I was trained for.”
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Despite community policing, the problem has
increased visibility in recent months
x On one hand, the police have made
remarkable progress in communities
x On the other, definite problems have
emerged
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Why has disharmony increased?
x Fallout from the racial policing issues
x Citizens’ misinterpretation of officer safety
perceptions
x Continued impact of historical prejudices
x Stereotypes of police
x Lack of empathy/understanding by nonminority officers
x Fueled by “urban legends” and gossip which
take on the character of being “truth”
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• What are the remedies?
x Continued vigilance by police--includes
commitment to change by management
x Involving citizens in policy making
x Meaningful training and supervision adhering
to organizational values
x Public education
x Long term: Recruitment and re-socialization
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• There will always be controversy in our
society about police using force
• “Brutality” is an emotional term
which does not give accurate portrayal
• Does excessive force occur? Yes--reasons…
x Poor judgement
x Emotional circumstances
x Unclear facts
x Poor supervision
x Poor training
x Inadequate follow-up
x Ideology of “the end justifies the means”
• Despite these, excessive force is the exception
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Remedies
x The Chief must set a tone for ethical policing
x Supervisors must enforce that ethic
x Comprehensive and open investigations of
misconduct
x Use of mediation to resolve disputes
x Willingness to criminally prosecute in egregious
cases
x Ethical standard must permeate all training and
procedures
x Long term: The selection process
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Related issues:
x “Adrenaline incidents”--car chase, resisting
arrest, emotional cases (e.g., child abuse)
x The “Code of Silence”
x Civilian Review
x Racial stereotyping
• The Bottom Line:
x There are no quick fixes
x Efforts to control force must be diligent and
on-going
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• Domestic Terrorism
x Right Wing Extremists
x Foreign terrorist attacks on U.S. soil
• Computer-related crime
x Not just pedophiles
x Hacking, cracking and phreaking will
provide a major challenge (e.g., theft,
fraud)
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• School violence includes:
x Gangs
x Drug related
x Individual conflicts
x A cycle and culture of violence
• This last category represents a particularly
disturbing trend over the past 18 months
x While not an epidemic, it is clearly a trend
• Who can forget the images of school violence
incidents?
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Racial Profiling
• These disturbing images beg the question, “Why?”
• We want simple, fast answers and remedies. They
simply do not exist.
• Short-term
x Security
x Awareness education (teachers and parents)
x Environmental control policies (e.g.,
uniforms, banning of certain symbols, etc.)
x Developing a response plan
Issues in the Practice of Policing
School Violence--Whose Fault?
• Parents
x Socialization of Values
x Monitoring Behavior
x Providing Guidance
• School
x Discipline
x Monitor Trends
x Safe Environment
• Fellow students
x Humanity
x Fairness
• Police
x Problem solving
x Crime analysis
x Willingness to “go in
harm’s way”
• Media
x Violent portrayals
x “Over Coverage”
• A changing, impersonal
society--including Internet
• The individual--self
responsibility
Issues in the Practice of Policing
School Violence
• The real remedy lies in a long-term cultural
change
• Approach it as a public health problem
• The police can take a leadership role--but
cannot do it alone
Issues in the Practice of Policing
Closing Thoughts
• The crime rate in the U.S. has dropped for six
years in a row
• Through research we know more about crime
and crime control methods than ever
• Despite the concerns for crime and disorder,
we have tools and experiences to move
forward and address these problems
• We need individual commitment and resolve-with these, successes can be achieved