Police Psychology_W2.pptx

FPSY 3900 PSYCHOLOGY OF POLICING Incorporating psychological skills in police academy training Dr. Ahmet Demirden Outline the brief history and structure of Polis Training & Education AGENDA for TODAY Review contemporary Police Training & Education Perspectives Review contemporary Police Traini...

FPSY 3900 PSYCHOLOGY OF POLICING Incorporating psychological skills in police academy training Dr. Ahmet Demirden Outline the brief history and structure of Polis Training & Education AGENDA for TODAY Review contemporary Police Training & Education Perspectives Review contemporary Police Training & Education Perspectives Incorporating psychological skills in police academy training Historical Perspective  Prior to 1950’s Police Officers did not receive any formal training (Walker, 1999) • From 1840s to early 1900s “watchman” style policing resulted in informally recruitment & training the policing on the job (Alpert & Dunham, 1997). Historical Perspective  Reform Era: Traditional basic training of police officers were introduced. • Traditional Aspects of Policing Training included: Shooting, Use of Force Tactics, Arrest Procedures. • However, basic trainings widely varied among agencies and officers were still insufficiently prepared for police work. COPS ERA COPS Era: Highlighting cultural diversity, communication, crime prevention & problem-solving • Training is one of the key factors imperative for COPS to reach its full extend • Psychology can play significant roles in effective police training. COPS ERA COPS have been defined differently yet most definitions include the following principles; • Problem solving, community involvement, organizational decentralization. • Traditional policing is reactive and incident based, COPS ERA • COPS is proactive and seeks to solve problems that create repeat calls for service. • Officers work with residents to define problems from bottom up and then work in collaboration to solve these problems REFORM ERA  Reform Era : Focus on technical and mechanical aspects of duties, NOT on generalist approach that COPS entails. • Firearm training, Physical fitness, Use of Force training; • Law, arrest procedures, officer safety and traffic enforcement; • What about Soft Skills Communication, Diversity, Problem Solving, Police-Community Relation. REFORM ERA Historically, training of police officers has been slow to keep up with policing practice, and training in COPS has been no exception The roles of officers differ under COPS, and most existing training programs insufficiently address • The underlying causes of crime and disorder, • Cooperation-building, and • Crime prevention (King and Lab, 2000). REFORM ERA  Recruits spend 90 percent of their training time on; • Firearms, driving, first aid, selfdefense and other use-of-force tactics;  Only 10 percent of their job duties will put them in positions where they need to use these skills Some trainings are based on a Job Task Analysis (JTA); reflecting what is done on the job. REFORM ERA  Some trainings are based on a Job Task Analysis (JTA); reflecting what is done on the job.  However, JTA often focuses on what has traditionally been done on the job, and  Not necessarily what needs to be learned to do the job better or to prepare new officers for community policing. Modern Police Training Perspectives  Police training perspectives traditionally reflect paramilitary approach • The cadets receive trainings predominantly in use of police equipment, defensive tactics, and military discipline.  Although, the training on technical, perishable policing skills remain important, Modern Police Training Perspectives  There has been a paradigm shift in contemporary police training, owing to the complexities of modern societies.  The contemporary police training approach comprises of principles of • Adult education • Civilian perspectives. Transition to COPS Era  CP has existed as a philosophy for over 30 years, the development of particular operational practices has taken longer to develop.  Training, in particular, has been slow to adapt to community policing  Only 10 percent of their job duties will put them in positions where they need to use these skill.  For example, traditional policing emphasizes strict enforcement of the law, Transition to COPS Era  COPS emphasizes building relationships between police and community/neighborhood residents in order to work together to prevent crime and solve problems.  The emphasis is on resolving recurring problems rather than intervening in single incidents. Transition to COPS Era  However, syllabi and curricula from 22 police academies revealed that and less than 3 percent of basic training academy time is spent on • Cognitive and decision-making areas, (e.g., scenarios, communications, reasoning, and application (Bradford & Pynes, 1999). COPS ERA  COPS training expands the curriculum by including topics on; • Human Diversity, Special Populations (e.g., the elderly and mentally ill), • Interpersonal Conflict Resolution, • Implicit Bias, • Ethics and Integrity, COPS ERA  COPS training expands the curriculum by including topics on; • Proactive or “Coactive” problem solving and crime prevention, • Stress Management, and • Community Building.  Comprehensive training in the theories and methods of community-oriented policing is a must to instill the skills necessary for COPS. • Skills = Behavioral competencies COPS TRAINING: ADULT LEARNING  Incorporating alternative learning models more suited for adults is a must (Birzer, 2003, Glenn et al., 2003).  Traditional training in soft skills builds on the pedagogical approach used when teaching children. COPS TRAINING: ADULT LEARNING  The pedagogy is teacher-centered and structured, relying heavily on a lecture format.  Police recruits are likely to benefit from interactive adult learning techniques, such as andragogy (Birzer, 2003; Glenn et al., 2003). • Andragogy is a self-directed/learner-center approach COPS TRAINING: ADULT LEARNING  Therefore, training in COPS requires • A substantive change in curricula & a change in delivery methods.  Promoters of innovative training programs recognize that police recruits NEED; • To learn the traditional skills of policing, including officer safety, mechanics of arrest, marksmanship, AND COPS TRAINING: ADULT LEARNING • A comparable amount of training in such subjects as problem solving, diversity and communications.  Police recruits are adults; interactive learning techniques are more effective (Glenn et al., 2003). EXAMPLE OF COPS TRAINING CURRICULUM  The Curriculum Maintenance System (CMS) uses the SECURE (Safety, Ethics, Community, Understanding, Response, and Evaluation).  It combines a first response model to resolve short-term incidents and a longterm model to solve recurring problems. EXAMPLE OF COPS TRAINING CURRICULUM  Also, CMS “integrates” themes throughout the curriculum. • That is, it revisits certain important themes in each and every module.  For example, a module on “traffic stops” would presumable include lessons about diversity and officer safety. EFFECTIVE POLICING  Effective policing: a unique combination of • • • • Behavioral Cognitive, Emotional, and Interpersonal skills.  Non-threatening duties are frequent; however, need to be prepared for the worse-case scenarios.  Officers carry more tools on their equipment belts and bodies, EFFECTIVE POLICING  Utilize more equipment in their patrol cars, and  Face more public scrutiny of their actions due to smart phones and social media than officers from prior generations.  FOCUS SHOULD BE ON BEHAVIORS NOT RESULTS  PSYCHOLOGY CAN FACILITATE THIS PROCESS TYPICAL ASPECTS OF POLICE TRAINING  Police academy training has two general aspects: • The academic component • The hands-on training component  Some of these skills, such as driving, tactical firearms, and arrest and control, are considered perishable and require incumbent officers to receive periodic refresher training throughout their careers. WHO IS DELIVERING THE TRAINING!  Traditionally, police academies designed in a paramilitary fashion. • This fails to prepare recruits to work in a manner consistent with the community-oriented police services model (COPS) and • Neglects basic principles of adult-learning theory.  An adult-learning model recognize the significance of how training is delivered. • Specifically, academy training staff serve as strong role models who socialize officers into the agency’s culture. WHO IS DELIVERING THE TRAINING!  if recruits are constantly exposed to an autocratic, prescriptive, & disciplineoriented instructor such behaviors will inevitably be modeled (Vodde, 2011; p. 35)  Traditional training models teach officers to be afraid, that inevitably affects the way that officers interact with civilians (Stoughton (2015). Modern Police Training Perspectives  Innovative police services have expanded their training strategies on how officers are qualified to perform their duties.  Around the Globe, there is an increased public demand for; • • • • Interpersonal, Cognitive, Emotional, and Moral skills in modern policing Modern Police Training Perspectives  Thus, It is no longer satisfactory for police academies to focus exclusively on law or technical (perishable) policing skills. Police Academy Training  Law enforcement agencies are obligated to hire, train, and retain a cadre of the most psychologically fit police officers.  Officers attend a relatively brief police academy, which is followed by training in the field. Police Academy Training  There are various academy formats, including • Full-time training for 6 months, • Part-time training for 12 months, and • Residential academies, which are quite similar to military boot camps. Police Academy Training  Traditionally, police academies have been conducted in a paramilitary fashion.  Often, academy training staff would be indistinguishable from military drill sergeants.  Push-ups, extra running, and writing reports are used as punishment. The Law Enforcement Foundation Ohio Recommendations      High moral/ethical standards; unbiased and understanding of diversity; service orientation; team orientation; good oral communication and listening skills;  good written communication skills; The Law Enforcement Foundation Ohio Recommendations  High levels of motivation;  strong decision-making and problemsolving skills;  good human relations skills,  self-control and discipline;  good planning and organization skills; and  a performance driven attitude Cognitive skills  Police work is mentally challenging  The Minimum education requirements for new hires?  Higher education = Mental flexibility?  The discussion of formal education is contrasted with the role of experience and where that experience can be attained. GROUP DISCUSSION  WHAT WOULD BE THE COGNITIVE SKILLS THAT OFFICERS SHOULD BE TRAINED ON?  LIST 2 COGNITIVE SKILLS IN GROUPS OF 3 TO 5  YOU HAVE 10 MINUTES California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)  Decision-making/judgment • Common sense, “street smarts,”  Impulse control/attention to safety • Taking proper precautions  Conscientiousness/dependability • Diligent work  Adaptability/flexibility • The ability to change gears Cognitive skills  To impart and strengthen the four cognitive skills, • Academies need to find a way to reduce the didactic, micromanagement of recruits (i.e., telling them exactly what to do all the time) and • Increase opportunities for recruits’ autonomous decision-making. EMOTIONAL SKILLS  Police work is emotionally challenging.  A contributing factor, beyond the routine exposure to trauma and human suffering, was found to be the emotional exhaustion officers experience from constantly showing the public emotions other than what they actually feel, • Remain in calmly stoic when disgusted, or smiling when actually angry. EMOTIONAL SKILLS  RESILIENCY  EMOTIONAL REGULATION/STRESS TOLERANCE • The ability to maintain composure and stay in control, particularly during timecritical emergency events and other stressful situations.  EMOTIONAL REGULATIONS SKILLS CAN BE TAUGHT EMOTIONAL SKILLS  EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE (EI) 1. Recognize YOUR emotions and understand how emotions impact YOUR behavior; 2. Control impulsive feelings and successfully manage YOUR emotions; 3. Identify OTHERS’ emotional cues without letting one’s own emotions interfere with behavior; and 4. Maintain good relationships, communicate clearly, influence others, work well in a team, and manage conflict PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT TECHNIQUES  IN ADDITION TO EI  MASTERING SKILLS TO REDUCE ACUTE LEVELS OF ANXIETY • BREATHING • MINDFULNESS SOCIAL SKILLS  Police work is socially challenging.  This pressure is especially difficult for female police officers and, even more so, for married female officers with children (Kurtz, 2012).  Similarly, police officers’ spouses and children endure a variety of difficulties, which, in turn, lead to added stress on the officers. SOCIAL SKILLS  Social competence • Communicating with others in a tactful and respectful manner, and showing sensitivity and concern in one’s daily interactions  Assertiveness/persuasiveness • Unhesitatingly taking control of situations in a calm and appropriately assertive manner, even under dangerous or adverse conditions SOCIAL SKILLS  Recruits should be treated in ways in which police agencies expect their officers to interact with members of the community.  When it comes to teamwork and assertiveness, academies can build in a mechanism for peer-level interventions. MORAL SKILLS  Police work is morally challenging.  Officers are regularly confronted with moral dilemmas, which can lead to lapses in ethical behavior.  The situations are often fairly mundane, like deciding whether to give a motorist either a ticket or a warning or how to respond when offered a gratuity (e.g., a free meal). MORAL SKILLS  At the same time, police officers are routinely confronted with far more serious ethical temptations during the daily discharge of their duties, • For instance, bribes from people looking to avoid arrest and • easy access to money and other valuables while securing or collecting evidence at crime scenes. MORAL SKILLS  Another morally challenging part of police work stems from officers’ commitment to public safety and crime control.  This commitment has been described as the noble cause MORAL SKILLS  When officers find themselves justifying these honorable ends (protecting society) at the expense of legal means (e.g., breaking rules to catch offenders),  They are committing noble cause corruption  Moral skills can be taught and strengthened. MORAL SKILLS  integrity/ethics maintaining high standards of personal conduct.  It consists of attributes such as; • Honesty, impartiality, trustworthiness, and abiding laws, regulations, and procedures” MORAL SKILLS  However, rather than lecturing them to stay on the virtuous path (or else!),  Police academies that adopt the adult learning model will confront recruits with moral dilemmas throughout their training. Final Remarks  Community Oriented Policing is a new era that calls for new perspectives in police training and education.  There is a need for training in problem solving, community involvement, organizational decentralization  The inclusion of soft skills training alongside of traditional policing skills is so important that this approach may facilitate achieving multi-level objectives in policing. Final Remarks  This perspective may contribute to; • The well-being of police officers; individual level, • Facilitate inclusiveness in police services; organizational level, and • Strengthen the relationship between officers and community; societal level. Final Remarks  Evidence based and flexible police training perspectives are paramount in modern policing.  Also, law enforcement agencies around the world are held accountable with similar expectations.  In order to accomplish the objectives of COPS, police academies should integrate adult learning as well as the principles of; • • Applied Behavior Analysis, Organizational Behavior Management.  The focus of organizational management should focus on behaviors not results.  The principles of Applied Behavior Analysis & Organizational Behavior Management can facilitate this process. Plan for Next week Chapter 4 Burnout and the psychological impact of policing Chapter 5 Trauma and critical incident exposure in law enforcement