Assessment of The Need for Cultural Competency Training for Police Officers

There are many ways intercultural communication is used throughout the line of work related to police work. Intercultural competence is all the ways people use certain skills and knowledge to effectively communicate with others from different cultures. This is used throughout daily life including many people’s work life to allow them to effectively communicate with others and solve problems. Police work and how the communication across cultures to enforce the law best is the focus of the research paper.

Crisis Negotiation and Cultural Awareness

This research by Amanda Leigh was mostly focused on the main job requirements of those who were crisis and hostage negotiators, what factors went into qualifying these situations, the ways we have gone about solving these issues in the past, present, and what we plan to change in the future. These statements were mainly focused on the state of Arizona. The qualification of a hostage situation would be if someone is taken forcefully without the intent of killing them and these usually occur during a crisis situation which is when a person is threatening violence. In the past, the situations were rushed and tried to be quick to fix the problem. Van Hasselt and Romano state “emphasizes the ‘slowing down’ of an incident, thus expanding the timeframe, allowing the subject to vent feelings”, as the previous tactics. In the future, their plans are to use the present tactics but allow the crisis negotiators to go through more training on different cultural normalities to allow the job to be done in a proficient way. While reading this research paper it brought about topics dealing with how the police succeed and fails when involved in crisis negotiations. To attempt to solve the crisis at hand in the best way possible there needs to be as much of an understanding of who was involved.

The Importance of Cultural Competence in Law Enforcement

According to Halla (2014), “13. 4% of the state’s population is foreign born” meaning there is an absolute need to be aware of different cultures perspectives on things to ensure the best outcome possible. E. T Hall argued: The idea of low context cultures are Americans, Germans, Swiss, Scandinavians, and Northern Europeans organize our work life, relationships, and lives into categories. He also argued high context cultures rely heavily on context, and these cultures include Japanese, Arabs, and Mediterranean peoples. Allowing people in the line of work dealing with police work or more specifically crisis negotiators to have the insight to this information and looking deeper into different cultures it would allow for the crisis to have the most optimal outcome. Understanding different cultural norms such as the way they express emotions would allow crisis negotiators to work through the problem attempting to solve the issue with the minimal amount of damage.

Community Relations and Crime Reduction

The research done by Kyle Ward was about the ideas of police work, the community, and crime rates. The focus was about how police interact with the community could reduce the crime rates in the community. It discusses how when police are viewed as positive people within a community it allows for more crimes to be solved. This occurs due to the fact that people are more willing to cooperate allowing for a more functional society. It also stated that more police understand those in the community, easier it will be to accomplish their job. The relationship between a police force and surrounding communities need to be positive. According to Patterson, “In diverse communities, some residents may not report crime if they come from nations where police authorities and other law enforcement are corrupt and untrustworthy”, meaning that those involved in law enforcement need to set an example for themselves and as a whole. By setting a good example for diverse communities around you, you will then be able to further investigations with fewer setbacks due to an increase in cooperation. Schneider states, “At least poor communication obstructs effectiveness policing, and community policing in particular. At extreme it can lead violence bloodshed”, explaining extreme importance good communication. When having poor communication increases crime rates reduces number cases solved.

Strategies for Improving Police Training

By having positive communication it allows communities cooperate authority better laws be set place dealing crime message can told. By allowing authority have diverse knowledge cultures would allow them communicate better others allowing best outcomes all situations that job.

Enhancing Communication Skills through Cultural Training

The source written by MacPhil explains needed training for police officers. Guidelines for people being recruited have been set up from Peace Officer Standards Training since 1959 as stated by MacPhil. It also explains possible programs that could be set up further improve way law enforcement interacts community. It brings up idea programs exist out country. MacPhil believes these changes needed further society as whole. MacPhil focuses on need change way authority way they interact others. She feels there is lack proper communication authority community. Schäfer states “Police education should consider using "andragogy" as method learning which calls for more self-directed learning might ideally met through foreign internship programs”, which she agrees with MacPhil agreed Schäfer’s theory believed more hands-on experiences other cultures would allow police officers use information use best they can that information can used properly get messages across diverse cultures know how best interact others based their culture.

The Role of Intercultural Communication in Policing

There are different types intercultural communication practices beliefs used valued police work A police officer would need able find balance authority tone would lead compliance To able have cooperative community even just individual police officer would need understand different cultures how their trust can earned small amount time study done Canada stating showed police were accommodating citizens were more cooperative By understanding different cultures they would also able find ways accommodate people they talking these accommodations could realized earlier they had well-spread canvas understanding different cultures feel like I had more time this research paper could understand other cultures’ authority/ police officers I then able compare different cultures notice which succeeding certain topics which topics needed improvement When police officers rushed stressed could result using stereotypes about certain people leaving little room intercultural competence There not lot extra funding for police officers which limits amount training that can enforce Grants available but they extensive process not available every police officer United States.

Throughout this research paper I was able learn ways around problems that my own I could have thought As well learning new information I was able have some previous thoughts verified through sources I was reading knew way police officers interacted communities lacking specific skills knowledge but would never thought requiring internship somewhere foreign from where live I would also agree suggestion should either strongly suggested recommended become police officer This subject would able further my learning within classroom allowing me understand these topics can applied throughout everyone life job The research subject should continue further ways knowledge police officers cultures how best communicate them stay updated society.