Warrior or Guardian?
Now that the entire department has been retrained under the new policing theory of “not a warrior, but a guardian,” a new philosophy fueling discipline is likely to follow. Pundits have called the training “Operation Stand Down” or “Operation Hug a Thug” but if you have been around long enough, it is nothing more than the swinging of the pendulum or the turning of the circle back to where law enforcement has been before.
I was there in the 1970’s. We were not a brutal occupying force as some have claimed. We were the same group of decent people trying to protect the public that you are today. Like Ferguson and Boston of today, cities across the nation back then had recently burned with riots, anti-police groups were ambushing police officers, the media crucified us daily, and society was in turmoil. Conditions were perceived to be so bad that every watch gave up one officer who did nothing but station security which was a foot patrol around the police station looking for infiltrators. We were all sent to the Universal Studios back lot for military training in how to respond to an ambush. The Basic Car plan was started, the Team Policing system was implemented, Neighborhood Watch was born, and we turned the word “pig” into an acronym for Pride, Integrity, and Guts.
There is one change that is not the subject of the wheel or pendulum because it has never happened before. You are facing for the first time in history a saturation of video surveillance on your every action. Between security cameras, iPhones, Digital In Car Video, Body Worn Video, and news media “eyes in the sky,” modern police officers are always on camera. Your every move can be slowed down, parsed, examined, and put on the internet. That alone is a game changer.
I attended the training in both Central and in the Valley and was gratified to see that Commander Arcos, Deputy Chief Perez, and Deputy Chief Green did not point fingers of blame at those that have long retired, but gave a straight forward presentation of the problems that LAPD has faced as the years passed and the problems that we currently face. The new philosophy is now to change our culture from Warrior to Guardian.
This comes from the study ordered by President Obama on what 21st century policing should look like. A group was given 90 days to figure it out and write a report. To reflect on how history is nothing but a turning wheel, in 1991, the Christopher Commission was given 90 days to determine how LAPD should be changed to represent 20th century policing and to write a report.
The gist of the training in both Central and the Valley which was officially entitled “A National Discussion on Public Trust and the Preservation of Life” was on how policing has changed from the “Operation Hammer” of the late 1980’s through the addition of a civilian member to the Board of Rights process and the establishment of an Inspector General. The roadmap to establishing public trust is deemed to be through the concept of “Relationship-Based Policing.” The basic mantra is “every contact counts.” The overall concept is to involve the community in everything. The theory is that this will build trust through relationships.
This is based on the findings in the The President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. (Task Force) “law enforcement cannot build community trust if it is seen as an occupying force coming in from outside to impose control on the community.” How do you change that? The report continues “Law enforcement culture should embrace a guardian – rather than a warrior- mindset to build trust and legitimacy both within agencies and with the public.”
The Department, according to the training, demands five things from its officers: follow the rules, provide quality service, treat people with respect, act with credibility and integrity, and be a leader. Pay attention because these five things will be the focus of discipline. The Department has identified the “big problems” that they call the Big Six that harm officer’s careers. They are uses of force, driving, search and seizure, detentions and arrests, employee relationships, and off duty misconduct. Expect the disciplinary attention to increase in these areas.
On the other hand, management recognized that they have some obligations to officers. You should be trained, you should be given the tools to do your job, and there should be enough of you out there to be safe. It should be expected that you will receive increased training in the areas of the Big Six. If you don’t, then shame on the Department.
An interesting, but apparently not noticed, part of the Task Forces report is that it recognizes that officers are likely to treat the public as they themselves are treated. It recommends that “law enforcement agencies should adopt procedural justice as the guiding principle for internal and external policies and practices to guide their interactions with rank and file officers and with the citizens they serve.”
It is apparent from many sources, including the Department’s 10,000 Volt Study called Perspectives on the Disciplinary System, that LAPD officers are extremely dissatisfied with the discipline system and have no respect for the way that it is implemented. The Task Force report says this: “Internal procedural justice refers to practices within an agency and the relationships officers have with their colleagues and leaders. Research on internal procedural justice tells us that officers who feel respected by their supervisors and peers are more likely to accept departmental policies, understand decisions, and comply with them voluntarily.”
The Task Force would tell the Department that the first step in changing the behavior of the troops is to change their own behavior. “It follows that officers who feel respected by their organizations are more likely to bring this respect into their interactions with the people they serve,” the Task Force report states.
What that means is that if management is trying to change the culture of the troops, management has to change its own culture first. The Task Force points to an old saying, “Organizational culture eats policy for lunch.” This is a simple recognition that rules that conflict with culture are not likely to be followed. So how do you change culture? “Adopting procedural justice as the guiding principle for internal and external policies and practices can be the underpinning of a change in culture and should contribute to building trust and confidence in the community.” Procedural justice is the guiding principle. That means a fair Internal Affairs investigation, a fair Board of Rights, a fair Administrative Appeal, and fair punishment when warranted.
And here is my favorite part. Action Item 1.4.2 on page 14 of the Task Force report says this: “Law enforcement agency leadership should examine opportunities to incorporate procedural justice into the internal discipline process, placing additional importance on values adherence rather than adherence to rules. Union leadership should be partners in this process.” [Emphasis added]
That’s what the President’s Task Force thinks. Maybe we should try it. Treat officers like you expect them to treat the public. Can it be done?
Be legally careful out there.
ace a guardian—rather than a warrior
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