Police-community relations is, by all accounts, the most critical issue facing law enforcement in America today. This training seminar presents law enforcement leaders with solutions, based on empirical research and actual practice, for improving citizen satisfaction, citizen confidence, and citizen support for law enforcement officers. This training utilizes the findings from social scientific research to identify what factors influence citizen satisfaction with the police, then provides real-life case study examples to illustrate each of the solutions identified by the research. This training is suited for law enforcement leaders of any rank who engage in directing agency operations and assist in forming departmental policies.

Course Objectives:

• The current police-community relations climate
• Why evidence-based practices matter
• Predictors of Citizen Satisfaction with the Police
  • The 27 studies on citizen satisfaction with the police
  • The 5 big influences on citizen satisfaction
  • What doesn’t influence citizen satisfaction
• Negative Contacts with the Police
  • Defining a negative contact
  • Defining a positive contact
  • Evidence-based strategies to improve police contacts
  • Training recommendations
• Perceptions of Crime and Disorder
  • What works
  • What does not work
  • Community problem-solving
  • Proactive non-enforcement contacts
  • Other ways to reduce fear of crime
• Perceptions of Police Resources in the Neighborhood
  • The influence of police presence
  • The influence of the police uniform
  • The influence of motorized patrol
• Media Exposure
  • Current research on media and news trends
  • Utilizing social media to directly contact your constituents
  • Telling your side of the story
  • Case study of a controversial use of force incident
• Immigrant Outreach and Education
  • Preconceived notions from one’s home country
  • Immigrant education models
  • Dayton, OH & St. Paul, MN case studies
• Summary & Policy Recommendations
  • Improving citizen contacts
  • Increasing citizen engagement
  • Proactive media relations activities