The Police are the Public and the Public are the Police

In recent years, the public attention has been captivated by several questionable law enforcement incidents involving officer-involved shootings and misuse of force. Many citizens have displayed their deteriorating trust in the criminal justice system and in particular police agencies, by reacting unfavorably to these events through violent attacks on officers, protests, and demonstrations. These negative occurrences have also exposed a noticeable absence of diversity throughout most law enforcement agencies, compared to the proportions in their communities. As public servants, police officers are mandated to provide law enforcement services equally without prejudice to all people regardless of race, gender, age, national origin, ethnic background, religion, and sexual orientation. Can this be accomplished without equal representation in these public service organizations? The purpose of this seminar is to explore how the absence of diversity in law enforcement erodes the rudimentary trust of the people in the police, and obstructs the organization from fully embracing their role as public servants