Learning about cultural dynamics can be difficult as culture is not a conscious idea. People learn, from birth, to behave and think according to their family culture. A police force is an example of a group that regularly comes into contact with people of diverse cultures. If police officers are to do their job effectively, it is vital that they have a good awareness of cultural diversity.
Every day in America, many of us have to interrelate with groups and individuals from cultures different to our own. People from varying cultures understand and assess situations and concepts in different ways. What is deemed proper behaviour in one culture is often seen as inappropriate in another (Quappe & Giovanna). When one person uses their own meanings to understand another person’s life, confusions can easily happen. When people lack awareness of other cultures, they can make assumptions based on their own culture, rather than learning about people they are interacting with. For example, “a straight look into your face is regarded as disrespectful in Japan” (Quappe & Cantatore).
Police forces need their communities’ trust if they are to perform successfully. The United States is a culturally diverse nation, and this can make the job of the police even more problematic. If the community does not trust its law enforcement agency, the community can begin to feel frightened and vulnerable. Therefore, it is vital that police officers have compulsory cultural diversity training (Manda, 2010).
In an immigrant country such as the US, the demographic is constantly changing. Many people who choose to relocate to the US bring culture and languages from their home countries. This raises a further reason for police to have diversity training, so as to avoid hostility and misunderstandings between the police officers and individuals from diverse cultures (Manda, 2010).
Police Chief Paul Norris says of cultural diversity training: “Our objective is to have people more sensitive than they would otherwise be.” He then went on to say, “It is not to have everybody agree, but just be more sensitive to the way the other person thinks” (Kelly, 2003).
Throughout the country, police force organizations recruit minorities in order to ensure their workforces are diverse. Such diversity within the police serves to gain trust from minorities in the public. For example, an African-American officer may be called to an emergency that has occurred in an African-American area (Manda, 2010). Law enforcement organizations require the assistance of their community if they are to succeed in fighting crime. Police officers frequently rely on tipoffs from the public in order to follow criminals, and without this help, many crimes may never be solved. In teaching police officers about cultural diversity, organizations may also avoid lawsuits resulting from alleged cultural bias of their officers.
In a culturally diverse nation, particularly one that is constantly evolving such as is the US, it is vital for all people to be aware of cultural diversity. This is particularly important for police officers who are on the front line in working with the public, often in already hostile situations. It would be difficult for any officer to learn in detail about every existing culture. However, gaining awareness about how different cultures are is a step in the right direction.
References
Kelly, M. (2003). Diversity: ‘It’s time to face facts.’ Inside UVA Online. Retrieved from
http://www.virginia.edu/insideuva/2003/06/diversity_training.html
Manda, G. (2010). Law Enforcement & Cultural Diversity Training. EHow. Retrieved from
http://www.ehow.com/about_6404278_law-enforcement-cultural-diversity-
training.html
Quappe,S. and Cantatore, G. What is Cultural Awareness, anyway? How do I build it?
Culturosity. Retrieved from
http://www.culturosity.com/articles/whatisculturalawareness.htm
