“The true Power of law enforcement is understanding that everyone should be engaged as an equal, a human being.” Dr. Terry Jackson

Here we go again, another law enforcement crisis which probably could have been prevented if cultural sensitivity training was an integral part of law enforcement training.  The message is loud and clear from the public that this training is needed now!  It is time to stop ignoring what many experts are saying is the “missing link” in law enforcement training.  There are many law enforcement departments who do not think this is very important training and therefore, do not include it at their training academies and schools, and other training venues.  Further, some just do not know they need it because they believe everything is fine and they know how to “handle” their people, city or county.  However, when you ask the people, they say something different.

In today’s law enforcement environment, cultural sensitivity training is just as important as going to the weapons range.  Why?  Because you will find that having a better understanding of people’s culture, in most cases, will defuse a situation before it gets “out of hand” and possibly lead to death or a major crisis.  Wake-up law enforcement officials, a lack of cultural understanding should not be the excuse why a “routine” law enforcement situation turns into a national incident.  Trends are showing that there is a serious lack of cultural understanding amongst our law enforcement personnel.  How many times have you observed something and thought you knew what was going on when it was something completely opposite?  Or, you missed understood something because you were not raised that way or did not experience it in your life?  Each day, millions of people experience it and so do our law enforcement personnel.

Law enforcement departments can truly improve and enhance their operations if they implement cultural sensitivity training.  The results would be improved community relations and reduced crime.   In order to better equip our law enforcement personnel and improve their understanding of policing people, I recommend immediate implementation of at least 40-hours of cultural sensitivity training at all law enforcement training academies and schools as well as a 40-hour annual requirement. This essential training must be interactive, hands-on scenario-based training conducted by certified life coaches in conjunction with law enforcement experts.

We cannot continue to allow law enforcement personnel to hide behind their badge because they are not culturally aware of the people they are supposed to be policing.  In some cases, disrespecting or demeaning someone’s cultural belief is like attacking their religious beliefs.  People will retaliate!  When you live in a very diverse nation like the United States, it is essential that our law enforcement personnel use cultural sensitive approaches to situations.  So, arming our law enforcement personnel with cultural sensitivity training should no longer be an option, but required training.  By not being proactive in embracing cultural sensitivity training will only lead to increase violence and situations like the Rodney King or Ferguson Missouri incidents.

If you are serious about getting ahead and preventing these types of incidents, contact BAF Security Solutions  for more information.