• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Subscribe to the Magazine
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Editor’s Picks
    • The power of teamwork
      Stay awake and alert on the job
      The worst rank in law enforcement
      Firearms maintenance
      Why fries need salt
  • Topics
    • On the Job
      • “An emotional encounter”: Connecticut police officer talks a man...
        California police officer uses K-9’s leash to rescue drowning man
        Small town North Carolina police officer rescues man from house fire
        Boulder police recover $400,000 in stolen paintings, drug stash in...
        California police officer rescues three people from car teetering on...
    • Labor
      • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost...
        San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to...
        Nevada may soon allow noncitizens to become police officers to...
        Florida pays out $5M in hiring bonuses for more than one thousand...
        Cops leave NYPD in highest number since 9/11
    • Tech
      • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
        West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a...
        FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime...
        Wisconsin law enforcement warn of iPhone crash detection feature...
        Snapchat sued for facilitating sale of fentanyl that led to fatal...
    • Training
      • Pennsylvania police utilize VR for de-escalation training
        Running your patrol rifle like a champion
        Present ability, opportunity and apparent intent
        Defensive tactics
        Mechanics, consistency and aggression
    • Policy
      • Arkansas sheriff’s offices refuse to enforce federal ATF gun policy
        President Biden signs bill expanding national missing persons database
        California Highway Patrol spotlights new traffic laws for 2023
        Texas law enforcement leaders say the state has too many police...
        Justice Department launches new language initiative after resolving...
    • Health/Wellness
      • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for...
        Coping with internal investigation or legal action
        The value of data: Wellness through the eyes of officers
        What officers love, hope and worry about
        Don’t be “that guy” — get moving
    • Community
      • North Charleston police officer drafted by professional football team
        “I’m very, very blessed”: Cleveland police officer back on...
        Newark good Samaritan honored for assisting wounded officers
        LAPD chief bans “Thin Blue Line” flag from department use
        Friday Night Lights duty
    • Offbeat
      • Drunk-driving suspect performs backflip for Ohio police during...
        “Like a scene from ‘Home Alone’”: Georgia man slips on ice...
        “Some real sitcom stuff there”: Florida burglars call 9-1-1 for...
        Wyoming police officer restores classic Chevy Bel Air as police...
        Santa Cruz police arrest 19-year-old for handing out fake parking...
    • We Remember
      • “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
        Chicago police remember fallen and injured officers this holiday...
        Deputy killed by roommate after he “jokingly” pulled trigger of...
        Maryland’s oldest cold case solved
        At least 13 officers shot in five days as wave of violence sweeps...
  • On the Job
    • “An emotional encounter”: Connecticut police officer talks a man...
      California police officer uses K-9’s leash to rescue drowning man
      Small town North Carolina police officer rescues man from house fire
      Boulder police recover $400,000 in stolen paintings, drug stash in...
      California police officer rescues three people from car teetering on...
  • Labor
    • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost...
      San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to...
      Nevada may soon allow noncitizens to become police officers to...
      Florida pays out $5M in hiring bonuses for more than one thousand...
      Cops leave NYPD in highest number since 9/11
  • Tech
    • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
      West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a...
      FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime...
      Wisconsin law enforcement warn of iPhone crash detection feature...
      Snapchat sued for facilitating sale of fentanyl that led to fatal...
  • Training
    • Pennsylvania police utilize VR for de-escalation training
      Running your patrol rifle like a champion
      Present ability, opportunity and apparent intent
      Defensive tactics
      Mechanics, consistency and aggression
  • Policy
    • Arkansas sheriff’s offices refuse to enforce federal ATF gun policy
      President Biden signs bill expanding national missing persons database
      California Highway Patrol spotlights new traffic laws for 2023
      Texas law enforcement leaders say the state has too many police...
      Justice Department launches new language initiative after resolving...
  • Health/Wellness
    • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for...
      Coping with internal investigation or legal action
      The value of data: Wellness through the eyes of officers
      What officers love, hope and worry about
      Don’t be “that guy” — get moving
  • Community
    • North Charleston police officer drafted by professional football team
      “I’m very, very blessed”: Cleveland police officer back on...
      Newark good Samaritan honored for assisting wounded officers
      LAPD chief bans “Thin Blue Line” flag from department use
      Friday Night Lights duty
  • Offbeat
    • Drunk-driving suspect performs backflip for Ohio police during...
      “Like a scene from ‘Home Alone’”: Georgia man slips on ice...
      “Some real sitcom stuff there”: Florida burglars call 9-1-1 for...
      Wyoming police officer restores classic Chevy Bel Air as police...
      Santa Cruz police arrest 19-year-old for handing out fake parking...
  • We Remember
    • “I had a calling”: Colorado cadet inspired by fallen hero Eric...
      Chicago police remember fallen and injured officers this holiday...
      Deputy killed by roommate after he “jokingly” pulled trigger of...
      Maryland’s oldest cold case solved
      At least 13 officers shot in five days as wave of violence sweeps...
  • Between the Lines
    • Persecution of the LEO is Classic Schadenfreude
      The Rule of Law is Worthless Without Order
      School policing: a paradox of the defund movement
      Defending the honor of the LE profession – finally!
      The dichotomy of the defund movement: reality setting in
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Search

On the Job

United we stand, divided we are

The silent struggle of race relations within police departments

Opinion/Editorial

Det. Andre Brook and Dr. Megan Price Published October 9, 2021 @ 12:00 pm PDT

iStock.com/inhauscreative

In today’s world of policing, the brave men and women who have taken on this profession have been placed under immense scrutiny and pressure, more than any other time that I can recall in my 34 years as a police detective. Unfortunately, the scrutiny is not unwarranted. The actions of police, witnessed in real time and through social media, have resurfaced old racial wounds that have plagued African American and Latino communities for decades. 

 As an officer myself, I have witnessed the good, the bad and the ugly in this job, not only from an insider’s perspective, but also as a citizen who lives in the communities I have sworn an oath to serve and protect. I see the questionable shootings, unprofessional displays of police tactics, disrespectful treatment of our fellow citizens and the often disturbing absence of transparency, and, like many of my colleagues of color across the country, have become torn between doing what I have sworn to do and upholding the “thin blue line.” Recent unrest, that we as police have brought upon ourselves, has not only caused a major backlash from the communities we serve, but has also caused racial discord between officers within. Many of us who are officers of color are asking ourselves, “What are we doing in this job?” indicating a fracture not only between the police and the community, but within policing itself.

To understand this sentiment and begin to open ways to repair it so that we can move forward in our commitment to serve and protect the public together, I set out to speak to officers and gauge their feelings about how the current racial unrest and climate in policing has affected them. I conducted interviews with local, state and federal law enforcement personnel in the D.C., Maryland and Virginia area where I live and work. Through 20 conversations, mostly with officers of color, I heard feelings of anger and frustration as well as key challenges that we must face if we are going to make it through better.

First, as contentious as they were, the Black Lives Matter protests of 2020 were a pivotal moment for many Americans, particularly Blacks and Latinos, including the officers I spoke with. The protests compelled Americans of all colors to examine and grapple with systemic injustices that we have not paid enough attention to over the years. In June of 2020, 67% of Americans and 58% of police officers supported the Black Lives Matter movement, per a Pew Research Center study and Morning Consult survey, respectively. These numbers show that the majority of Americans, even officers, recognize that our systems are biased, are not working for everyone and that things must change. While the number of supporters has decreased in the last year as attention has waned and conflict has deepened, Black support is still extraordinarily high at 87%, reports Pew.

Among the Black and Latino law enforcement officers I interviewed, the public conversation about racism in how we police the community has heightened our attention not only to the injustices communities have experienced and how to police them better, but to racism within our own organizations. Officers expressed their experiences of being victims of discrimination and unjust punishment within their departments and subject to harsher discipline than their white colleagues. Empowered by the public discourse, there is a rising sense that this is something that can no longer be tolerated. Officers expressed resentment at putting their lives on the line every day for organizations they don’t feel respect them.

Additionally, officers noticed a contraction and defensiveness among many white officers against Black Lives Matter, as the movement and the media cast police officers as the public enemy rather than the public protector. While officers of color feel similarly maligned, many are concerned by the hostile, dismissive or indifferent responses to the minority experience they see from white officers. Officers reported that they don’t feel that their white colleagues understand how the events of the social movement affect them as officers of color. On the one hand, officers of color empathize with the experiences of the community, because they have been subject to racism themselves living and growing up Black and Latino in America. On the other hand, they feel that they face even harsher judgment from angry community members who feel betrayed by them. The barriers to understanding between white officers and officers of color are creating an unsettling division, leading officers to trust each other less. In a job where officers rely on one another for backup and support in situations of danger and crisis, this is not only bad for morale, it could be dangerous.

Finally, officers reported that the culture of silence in policing is stubbornly strong. Law enforcement has never liked to air its laundry — clean or dirty. Talking about these issues is hard and uncomfortable. As a result, there are very few, if any, outlets for officers to have frank and open discussions with their colleagues and leadership about how to work through the problems of internal discrimination and racial misunderstanding. This is a significant roadblock for officers, who feel like policing in communities and the culture of policing within departments must change or there is no place for them.

We hear calls for dialogue to repair division and build trust between communities and police, and those are important, but what these interviews reveal is that we need to increase the call for dialogue within police departments as well. Departments need to reckon with internal, organizational racism and build mutual understanding between officers who rely on each other every day. This racial reckoning does not have to pit one side against another, but can expose where we can be better to one another — both as colleagues and as public servants. To do this, we first have to admit that there are conversations to be had. Admitting that would not lead to defeat, but to improvement. It would open the door for change, humanity in policing and solidarity among officers.

Dialogue is paramount and will take courage and leadership. Through it, today’s police men and women who proudly stand on the front lines and in harm’s way will be able to find common ground and begin to understand not only each other, but ways to gain the trust of communities as we police in this new era of ever-changing policing. By dealing with our own biases, shortcomings, misunderstandings and perceptions of ourselves as police, we will overcome what divides us and stand united in service of the badge and our communities.

We’d like to hear your thoughts on this topic and on this article. Please send them to our Contributing Editor Dave Edmonds at dedmonds@apbweb.com.

Det. Andre Brook and Dr. Megan Price

Det. Andre Brook and Dr. Megan Price

Dr. Megan Price is the director of the Center for Applied Insight Conflict Resolution in Washington, D.C., and is founder and trainer of Insight Policing: Conflict Resolution for Law Enforcement (insightpolicing.com), which teaches officers the foundations of conflict decision-making and targeted, curiosity-based communication skills for controlling escalation and problem-solving effectively. Dr. Price is adjunct professor in Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University and associate faculty in the Conflict Management master’s program at Royal Roads University.

Detective Andre Brooks of Prince George’s County, Maryland, has over 34 years of law enforcement experience. He is known for his success in solving high-profile and complex cases and for his ability to connect with citizens, victims and perpetrators of crime through effective communication. Detective Brooks is an expert trainer and currently partners with Dr. Megan Price teaching Insight Policing: Conflict Resolution for Law Enforcement. He is dedicated to his wife Jami and two sons.

View articles by Det. Andre Brook and Dr. Megan Price

As seen in the October 2021 issue of American Police Beat magazine.
Don’t miss out on another issue today! Click below:

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Categories: On the Job

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • “An emotional encounter”: Connecticut police officer talks a man out of jumping off bridge
  • North Charleston police officer drafted by professional football team
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Announces December 2022 Officer of the Month
  • “I’m very, very blessed”: Cleveland police officer back on patrol after surviving stage-4 ovarian cancer
  • Airbnb expands law enforcement portal to fight child trafficking
  • West Virginia law enforcement agencies use drones to get a bird’s-eye view of crime scenes
  • Sioux Falls Police Department offers $5K hiring bonuses to boost recruiting and diversity
  • Retired Wisconsin police officer offers mental health services for first responders
  • FBI seizes website of notorious ransomware gang in cybercrime crackdown
  • San Francisco mulls over increasing police recruitment bonuses to avoid “cata-strophic” staffing shortage

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The power of teamwork

The power of teamwork

July 23, 2021

Stay awake and alert on the job

Stay awake and alert on the job

July 20, 2021

The worst rank in law enforcement

The worst rank in law enforcement

July 19, 2021

Firearms maintenance

Firearms maintenance

July 04, 2021

Privacy Policy | Copyright © 2023 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.