Bella Pezzati
Essential elements of contemporary policing must be incorporated in all academies, in-service, and field training. These elements include procedural justice, de-escalation, active bystandership, respect for all persons, sanctity of life, value of diversity, fair and impartial policing, and interpersonal and communication skills. To ensure that trainees understand and can implement these elements, the time spent…
MORE ▸The impact of all training on policing outcomes should be evaluated, including for possible disparate impact.
MORE ▸Field training officer (FTO) training, selection, assignment, and impact should be reviewed to ensure alignment with organizational values and culture. Differences between academy training and guidance provided by FTOs should be analyzed, including observational analysis and surveys of attitudinal and other possible changes before and after the academy, and after field training. Officers with founded…
MORE ▸Training curricula that support law enforcement agency organizational and cultural goals and values, as defined by agency leadership and the community, should be developed and delivered. Trainers and the curriculum should be certified by the International Association of Directors of Law Enforcement Standards and Training (IADLEST) National Certification Program (NCP). Training curricula that support law…
MORE ▸Recognizing that alternatives to police-response models cannot be implemented immediately or in all places, agencies should implement current best training practices in de-escalation techniques, addressing substance-use disorders, responding to mental health crises, and recognizing and responding to people with physical and developmental disabilities.
MORE ▸Low-level offenses, such as illegal vending and panhandling, should be decriminalized, and alternative non-punitive strategies should be developed to address the disparate racial impact of arrest, which forces people into a cycle of monetary damage caused by fines and fees and that can also result in incarceration.
MORE ▸Punitive approaches to people experiencing homelessness must be minimized through collaborations by the public and private sectors to identify and fund programs to solve the root causes of homelessness. Research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of existing programs, such as homeless outreach teams in law enforcement agencies, and to identify best practices, including training…
MORE ▸Local non-police crisis response teams (also referred to as alternative responders) should respond to persons in crisis, stabilize the situation without relying on the criminal justice system interventions, and connect them to resources and treatment. Research should be conducted on how to build this capacity, particularly outside of urban centers. Where models are currently implemented,…
MORE ▸Research is needed on the design, implementation, and evaluation of alternatives to arrest, including pre-arrest deflection, diversion, community views on diversion, SUD treatment, the impact of decriminalization of certain drugs, and how non-arrest interventions impact involvement in the criminal justice system, particularly with respect to any potential racially disparate impact. It is crucial to understand…
MORE ▸Barriers to obtaining drug-treatment services, such as a lack of services or facilities and being uninsured or underinsured, should be identified and minimized. These barriers are particularly salient for individuals that are frequently in contact with the criminal justice system.
MORE ▸