Fair and Impartial Policing

(“NS” – New slide) Intro

All people, even well-intentioned people have biases.

We’ll discuss various biases. We’ll explore what social-psychology has

taught us. Need to recognize our unconscious

biases, so we can implement UNbiased behavior

Fair and Impartial Police Officers are more likely to

Be effective at solving crimes and handling disorder problems

Stay safe and go home at the end of the shift Enhance/promote trust on the part of the people

they serve

Goals of the Training

Recognize our own human biases Understand how implicit biases can affect your

perceptions and behavior Understand how biased policing impacts

officers, community members, and the department

Develop skills and tactics to reduce the influence of bias on police practice and allow you to be effective and safe police professionals

During this training…

Leave your preconceived notions about

“bias” training at the door—our approach is

different from traditional training….

During this training…

Think about what it means to be an effective officer.

During this training…

Share your expertise…you bring rich

experiences and expertise to the

discussions.

This training…..

Requires active participation in all of the discussions, case studies and exercises.

Understanding Human Bias

Susan Boyle – Britain’s Got Talent

Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-

intentioned people have biases Biases are often unconscious or “implicit” Implicit biases are sometimes incompatible with

our conscious attitudes Implicit biases can influence our actions Understanding how implicit bias can affect our

perceptions and behavior is the first step to “override” implicit bias

To Understand Implicit Bias, We Need to Understand…. Whom we are most likely to pre-judge What determines the characteristics we

assign to them Whether we know when we are prejudging

people

To understand implicit bias:

Whom do we pre judge?We prejudge people on sightWe prejudge “ambiguous stimuli”We “fill in” …

What determines the characteristics we attribute to them?Group stereotypes/biasesStereotypes: organize info, based in part on

facts

To understand implicit bias:

Whom do we pre judge?We prejudge “ambiguous stimuli”

What determines the characteristics we attribute to them?Group stereotypes/biases

Do we know when we are doing this?Not always.

Policing – focus on racial/ethnic biasesWhat are other bases on which people may be stereotyped (and treated differentially)?

Income English language abilities Gender Age Religious affiliation Profession Sexual orientation, identity etc.

Woman/Man with a Gun Role Play Anna: How to set up (See “resource

materials”) Implement, hold discussion (SB)

See page 2 of resource handoutDiscussion: 2 versionsSide bar: Stay away from “tactics” discussion

End discussion with key point of role play…

Key Point of Role Play

Policing based on stereotypes is unsafe.

Questions/Comments

Key Points of the “Blink” Response Recognize the “blink” response”

Snap judgments, “thinking without thinking”Can be helpful, but can be fallible

Replace “blink response” with objective (bias free) judgments

“Money Train”

Woody Harrelson is an undercover officer.

Note: The use of the copyrighted material falls under fair use laws with no intended copyright violation.

Stereotyping and Human Bias

When we don’t know an individual, we assign a group characteristic to them

Often we do not know when we are impacted by biases (they can be unconscious or “implicit” biases)

Recognizing our biases allows us to override them—to engage in unbiased behavior.

Law enforcement officers deal with a variety of community members……

Mad World Video – Gary Jules

Hand out cards

Fiske How do people in our society react to the

homeless? How might some officers treat the

homeless versus person of means?

Key Point:

Policing based on stereotypes (biases) is unsafe, ineffective and

unjust.

THE RACE-CRIME ASSOCIATION STUDIES

The “Bump” Study

Study: Experiencing an ambiguous “bump” from a stranger How did people interpret the bump by African

Americans versus the bump by Whites? Result: The “bump” was perceived as more

threatening when performed by an African American. Replicated to show this was true for both White and

non-White “victims”/subjects.

The Visual Perception Study

Subjects were primed with Black male faces, White male faces, or no faces

Completed object recognition task Eberhardt, Goff, Purdie, & Davies (2004).

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

Levels of Degradation

Frame 1Frame 25Frame 41

Crime Object

Crime Object

Crime Neutral Objects

Hypotheses

If the Black-crime association impacts our visual perception, then: Participants primed with Black male faces

should be faster to identify crime-relevant objects than those primed with White male faces.

There should be no effect of prime for crime-irrelevant objects.

Object Identification

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20

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26

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Flashing WhiteFaces

No Faces(Control)

Flashing Black Faces

Fra

me

nu

mb

er

Crime-Relevant

Crime-Irrelevant

________________________________

Visual Perception Study: Conclusions

Exposure to Black male faces facilitated the identification of crime-relevant objects.

Exposure to White male faces inhibited the identification of crime-relevant objects.

Be a research participant!

We will see slides of backgrounds and then a person will appear—very quickly—with something in his hands.

Shout “Threat” if you see a threat [Silent if no threat]

Correll Results: Race Made a Difference

Speed: Participants shot a White armed man slower than a Black armed man

Errors: Participants were more likely to shoot an unarmed Black man than an

unarmed White man

The Turban Effect Study

Research volunteers played a computer game that showed apartment balconies on which different figures appeared, some wearing Muslim-style turbans or hijabs and others bare-headed.

They were told to shoot at the targets carrying guns and spare those who were unarmed.

The Turban Effect Results

People were much more likely to shoot Muslim-looking characters even if they were carrying an “innocent item” instead of a weapon.

They also found a gender effect: Subjects were more likely to shoot men than women (even when harmless).

Unkelbach, Forgas & Denson (2008). J. of Experimental Social Psychology.

[NS] Implications for LE

Officers may see danger when none there (over-vigilent)

May overlook danger (under-viligent)($ Train)

Implicit bias linked to officer safety and effectiveness;Officers may:

Increase their scrutiny of people of color Interpret ambiguous behavior on the part

of people of color as more aggressive Respond to people of color more

aggressively (e.g., as criminals) Under-respond to Whites, Asians, etc. etc.

Biases are Based, at Least in Part, on Fact

One example pertains to race and crime

Criminologists have shown that people of color are

disproportionately involved in street crimes.

Economic Status, Race and Crime A = Lower income people are more likely

to commit street crimes B = People of color are disproportionately

represented in lower income levels A+B=C People of color are

disproportionately represented among people who commit street crimes

[NS] But, that stereotypes are sometimes based in part on fact….

Does not justify your making policing decisions based on those stereotypes.

Such decisions can be unsafe, ineffective or unjust.

Crash Scene: The Streets of Los AngelesUsage of the copyrighted material falls under fair use laws with no intended copyright violation.

Key Point

Policing based on biases is unsafe, ineffective, and unjust

Implicit Bias Manifests in Non-Prejudiced People

[NS]

Implicit bias manifests even in non-prejudiced people

Exists even in individuals who consciously hold non-prejudice ideals/attitudesEX: Many minorities have a

race-crime/danger implicit bias (Bump Study)….

[NS]

Some think: Biased policing is “someone else’s issue”Often think that because of their progressive

attitudes towards other groups, they must be bias free

Quite likely: They are wrong.

Addressing Our Implicit Biases

[NS] Two remedies for our implicit bias “affliction”

Reducing our implicit biases Recognizing our biases and thwart their

impact on behavior.

Reducing Implicit Bias: Contact Theory

Positive contact between members of groups improves inter-group attitudes and reduces both explicit and implicit biases.

POSITIVE (e.g., people’s experiences with police)

Examples?

Personal Contacts and Implicit Biases in Officers Peruche and Plant (2005) Measured

implicit bias on the part of officers Shoot/don’t shoot simulator to measure

implicit bias Surveys too

Police, too, manifest implicit racial biasBut implicit racial/ethnic bias is weaker in

officers who report positive interpersonal contacts with racial/ethnic minorities

[NS] Reducing implicit biases by “Unlinking Stereotypes” Difficult to undo our implicit biases….took

lifetime BUT police firearms training seems to help

us unlink the stereotypes we associate with groups (e.g., minorities and danger)

How might this work?Repeatedly exposed to random pairing of

threat and race (and other demographics)

Simulator training can help us unlink: Correll Study Number 2

Methods: Both civilians and cops, shoot don’t shoot simulator

Speed: Both police and civilians exhibited robust racial bias

Errors: Bias was less likely to manifest itself in the decisions by police. Bottom Line: Police made the correct decisions…..

Interpretation:

High quality, role play use-of-force training helps police “unlink” race & crime for split-second use-of-force decisions.

[Remedy #1: Reduce implicit biases]

[NS] Remedy #2: Recognize our biases and thwart their impact

Implementing “Controlled (unbiased) Behavior”

If we recognize our biases, we can implement “controlled behaviors” that override our (natural) implicit biases.

Examples? In fact, science: People who recognize

their biases and are motivated (well-meaning) can override.

Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias, In Summary

Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-intentioned people have biases

Biases are often unconscious or “implicit” Implicit biases sometimes conflict with our

conscious attitudes Implicit biases can influence our actions Understanding how implicit bias can affect our

behavior is the first step to “override” implicit bias

MODULE 2 [LAF INTRO]

The Impact of Biased Policing on Community Members and the Department

Previous module

Science of implicit bias – perceptions and behaviors

Forms of implicit bias with policing relevance (including race-crime)

Biased policing is ineffective, unsafe, unjust

This Module: Biased Actions Impact

Community members Your law enforcement agency

Impact of biased policing on individuals

Testimonial: Captain Will Hill

RI State Police

Fair and Impartial Policing Engenders Community Respect and Cooperation

How do you and your agency benefit when the community trusts and respects you?

Research Demonstrates

Police cannot be effective without support/cooperation of the community

Community members who perceive the police as being fair see them as a legitimate authority

Examples of support/cooperation due to trust, perceptions of legitimacy?

Your Role in Engendering Police Legitimacy

[NS]

Your daily interactions can influence community support of the department Some cops think – no one sees/cares

YOUR actions determine whether the community thinks agency is legitimateOne aspect: Ensuring your actions are fair

and impartial.AND ensuring that community

SEES/PERCEIVES fair and impartial policing.

Police Legitimacy Impacts the Public’s Willingness To: Obey societal laws Cooperate with the police Assist with crime prevention efforts Assist with valuable information during

criminal investigations Support criminal prosecutions

Police Legitimacy Also Impacts on the Public’s…. Trust and confidence in the police.

SUMMARY: Fair and Impartial Policing Results In…. Community trust and cooperation Legitimacy of police among community

members Safe policing Effective policing “Good” policing

RECRUIT MODULE 3

Skills for Producing Fair, Impartial and Effective Policing

Goals of the Training

Recognize your own human biases Understand how implicit biases can affect our

perceptions and behavior Understand how biased policing impacts

community members and the department Develop skills and tactics to reduce the influence

of bias on police practice and allow us to be effective and safe police professionals

Fundamental Concepts of Human Bias

Bias is a normal human attribute—even well-intentioned people have biases

Biases are often unconscious or “implicit” Implicit biases are sometimes incompatible with

our conscious attitudes Implicit biases can influence our actions Understanding implicit bias or is the first step to

“override” implicit bias

[NS] Two ways we can impact on our biases

Reduce Recognize

[NS] This session:

Learn/apply skills to promote FIP Good for anyone…. But especially police.

Fair and Impartial Police Officers are more likely to Be effective at solving crimes and handling

disorder problems Stay safe and go home at the end of the shift Enhance/promote trust on the part of the people

they serve

Pantomime

Pantomime Debrief

Some saw: Medical emergency, crime in progress, etc.

Point: People can interpret same stimuli differently

Challenge what you think you see

Domestic Violence Role Play

[NS] DV Debrief

Whom did the responding team initially think was the abuser?

On what did they base that assumption? What skills do officers need to ID the

correct offender?

Side Bar

Discussion can take one of two directions depending on team performance:Team went for the guy Team correctly ID’d female abuser

Reinforce this correct response: How? Did they “Correct” for their initial responses? Focused on behavior not biases?

How might other officers have incorrectly gone for the guy.

[NS] Both exercises related to our first skill

Recognize your implicit biases

[pantomime, DV]…..

[NS]

Difficult to rid ourselves of biases We can make sure our biases don’t impact

behaviorRecognizeOverride

[NS] Examples

Taylor: Runs tags only on young Hispanics males

What’s wrong with this? How might he correct this?

[relevant research…]

Meehan and Ponder (2002)

Found that police were more likely to run warrant checks on African Americans than Whites in white neighborhoods….

but less likely to find warrants on the African Americans compared to the Whites.

[NS] Other examples:

Becker: At crash scenes, always approaches driver of nice car first

Officer Michaels: Recognizes that, on minor traffic violations, he only writes citations for men (gives women warnings).

Lessons from role plays and Taylor, Becker, Michaels: Recognize your implicit biases, challenge

what you think you see Implement controlled responses Test yourself: “Would I be proceeding this

way, but for the fact that this person is………”

Beware: “Gut reactions” might be based on your (implicit) biases……

[NS: Instead of gut reactions]

Rely on facts, intelligence, other valid information

Focus on facts at hand Gather additional information Use critical judgment Do not let gender, race, age, etc.

inappropriately impact assumptionsDon’t be “Susan Boyled”

[Restate] Skill #1: Recognize your implicit biases and implement “controlled (unbiased) responses” …

[Other] Skills to Produce Fair, Impartial and Effective Policing Avoid “profiling by proxy” Analyze options with a fair and impartial

policing lens Reduce ambiguity: slow it down Reduce ambiguity: engage with the

community.

Skill #2: Avoid “Profiling by Proxy”

[NS]

Our message has been: “Recognize your OWN biases”

This skill (Profiling by Proxy): Beware other people’s implicit biasesDon’t let THEIR biases impact YOUR

behavior

“Birmingham cop” video:

What would you do and why?

Do you have to intervene? Do you really have to respond to every behavior

the public finds offensive? Does a couple have the right to do what they are

doing? Are they doing anything illegal?

What’s the down side to intervening?

[NS] Lesson: Avoid Profiling by Proxy You do not have to intervene in all

situations. You must use critical judgment. Throughout this training: You are learning

to recognize/handle your OWN biases…Here we emphasize: Do not let others’ biases

impact on your behavior.

Skill #3: Analyze Your Options with a “Fair and Impartial Policing” (FIP) Lens

Scenario

A woman in an all-White neighborhood calls 9-1-1 to report a “suspicious man in a car” out in front of her house. It appears that the only thing that is “suspicious” is that the man is Black; she is unable to articulate or identify any behaviors that indicate criminal activity.

In your teach-back groups: What are your options and the pros/cons of each?

Point of discussion

Not one right answer Point (skill): Think about options with a

“fair and impartial policing lens”Think about the perspective of the person in

the car…

[NS] Revised scenario

Same circumstance, but this time the man fits the description of a person in a vehicle who committed a home burglary in the area. You approach and question.

He convinces you he is not the burglar He is angry and accuses you of biased policing

How might you respond?

[NS] Responses

Key = Reduce frustration/anger Provide specific info on recent burglary

How he matched BOLO Demonstrate empathy Apologize for inconvenience Tell him how to follow up

[NS] Yet another scenario

You have made a legitimate traffic stop and the woman in that situation accuses you of stopping her because she is Hispanic.

How do you respond? How do officers mess this up?

[car door conversation….downhill]

[NS] Our suggested response

“I am sorry that you feel that way, but I stopped you because…..”

Acknowledges the person’s concern Steers conversation back to business.

[Summary of Skill #3] With Your FIP Lens… Challenge what you think you see Recognize your own biases Recognize others’ biases Consider bias-free options Consider the viewpoint of people with

whom you are interacting Minimize negative impacts (including

potential perceptions of biased-policing) with strong communication skills

Skills #4 and #5: Reduce Ambiguity

#4: When feasible, “slow it down”

#5: Engage with community members

[NS] Why reduce ambiguity?

In discussion of Susan Boyle: We prejudge people who are “ambiguous

stimuli”Attribute group stereotypes to themDo not always know this is happening

[NS] #4: Reduce ambiguity, slow it down Man on a Porch exercise See your resource materials

“Man on the Porch, Recruit Handout”

[NS] Key Point

Officers acted quickly and a tragic outcome was producedThey misread cues.Bias might have impacted their decisions.

When you can, slow it down. Reduce ambiguity

Gather more information before you act (if you can)

So you don’t act on your biases.

Skill #5: Reduce ambiguity, engage with community members

Contact Theory: Revisited Positive contact between members of groups

improves inter-group attitudes and reduces both explicit and implicit biases.

Positive contact reduces ambiguity about individuals and groups

Get to know your communities…

Write down three very specific things you could do in a week’s time to engage with members of a community.

Think of youths, parents, other adults, business owners.

[Summary] Skills #4 and #5: Reduce Ambiguity

#4: When feasible, “slow it down”

#5: Engage with community members

Summary of Key Points: Module 1 All people, even well-intentioned people

have biasesThey can be “implicit” (unconscious)Susan Boyle:

We prejudge, We fill them in, Often we don’t know

[Sum, Module 1 Cont.]

Even though stereotypes might be based in part on fact (remember Sandra Bullock)…..

Policing based on biases can be unsafe, ineffective and unjustShoot don’t shoot (not shooting white…..) $ Train Treating homelessMan/woman with gun and DV role plays

Summary of Key Points: Module 2 Biased policing has negative

consequences for community members and the departmentBiased policing erodes community trustCommunity trust is essential for cooperation

and support of officers and the departmentCommunity trust is essential for police

legitimacy

Module 3: To be a fair and impartial officer, you need to Recognize your implicit biases and

implement “controlled (unbiased) responses”

Avoid “profiling by proxy” Analyze options with a fair and impartial

policing lens Reduce ambiguity: (a) slow it down, and

(b) engage with the community.

We hope this training…

Better understanding science of human bias

Renewed your appreciation of negative impact

You learned skills ….will serve you.

Thank you!!