More than 30 years ago, I took an oath to protect and serve. That’s not what happened with George Floyd—that was the exact opposite.
I wear two hats. One is from my 30 years in law enforcement. The other is from my career as a forensic psychologist, which is why I am able to understand and empathize both with the public and with law enforcement when tragic events like the murder of George Floyd occur.
And on a personal level, as a Black man living in America, it hurts me deeply.
Because in instances like that, members of law enforcement are not living their mission. They’re not protecting and serving. They are severing the already delicate trust that law enforcement seeks to build with communities; they are working against everything we stand for. It makes me sick. So much must change.
So what have I been preaching the past five years at The Chicago School? Psychology of law enforcement. Psychology of hostile enforcement. Some key things are missing with training. Until we stop putting a bandage on problems we see and start addressing the underlying issues that can be provided by institutions like The Chicago School—where we can discover the real remedy with psychology—we won’t be able to change law enforcement for good.
Career beginnings
I began my career in law enforcement in 1983. I was working on Capitol Hill and spoke to an officer assigned to my location. He told me I’d be a good fit for the Capitol Police. The majority of what the United States Capitol Police does is security, securing the capital and serving the congressional community. I was studying to be a lab technician at the time, but I was drawn to the mission to “protect and serve.” I was drawn to the chance to help people, to make a change in people’s lives.
I joined in August and graduated in December. In November, a bomb went off on Capitol Hill. I kept thinking, “Why are these individuals committing these crimes?” That was my foundation in criminology and psychology—trying to figure out why people do what they do. I’d be processing individuals and would switch my role and ask, “Why are you here? Why did you do that?” I began to realize it wasn’t always a choice of theirs—it was other things.
Cultural diversity in law enforcement
In law enforcement, you likely interact with more people—and a more diverse set of people—than any other career.
Think about how cultural diversity plays out in the field. As a cop, you can be taught that a civilian avoiding eye contact is hiding something. If you are well-versed in cultural competence, you can recognize that that is a sign of respect in their culture.
By putting law enforcement out in the field and not teaching them about cultural interactions, de-escalations, basic negotiations, and cultural diversity, the system is already setting cadets up to fail. This type of training shouldn’t be just for hostage negotiators or crisis intervention teams. What about the officer who shows up to the scene of someone who is experiencing a schizophrenic episode? In that case, you can’t wait for someone else to show up. You don’t have minutes—you have seconds to talk someone down.
Knowing the community
We can’t speak about law enforcement without bringing up the disproportionate impact on communities of color. But where is the breakdown?
Is it in screening? Is it in de-escalation training? Is it in use of force? Is it in preparation for split-second, life-altering decisions? Sensitivity and diversity training?
My conclusion is that we don’t train law enforcement enough. We only see cadets for a couple of months. While there, we need to determine if they have good work habits, are responsible, and can make good decisions.
Bringing in more social workers and psychologists is crucial. But when an officer is the first to arrive on a scene, and often has to make a decision in seconds, they need that kind of training. They also have to be willing to know and grow with their community.
A couple of years back, I saw a colleague with his weapon drawn at a community member whom I had come to know. This community member was a Vietnam veteran and suffered from schizophrenia, though I’d never seen him act like he did that day. He had a knife pointed at the officer and was a different person. I went into action. I set up a perimeter and barricade and talked him into dropping the knife. Actually knowing the community you’re working in helps you in those split seconds when you need to respond—and helps you in cases where you’d be quick to use force.
A different way to protect and serve
There is a tremendous need to understand internal cultural diversity before you can hope to make a difference in the community you serve. I see a great opportunity to create a community within that isn’t afraid to speak up. We need to build trust, have confidential spaces, and create a culture in which police officers are comfortable speaking up instead of hiding behind the badge.
We need to get people to talk through some of the aspects of this job that are frightening—and impulsive. We need to get them to really be open about their biases and how some of the ways they think they’re protecting the community are actually destroying it.
We need strong leaders—ones who have already been trained to see warning signs, see incidents that have happened—who will bring in officers to find out what’s going on with them. It should never get to a point where we have another George Floyd—and unfortunately, we’ve had many.
The work I do now is no different than my mission for the Capitol Police, which was to protect and serve. I’m doing it in a different avenue with forensic psychology, protecting individuals who need it, and providing mental health services to them. I’m advocating for training reform to ensure that law enforcement stays true to their mission. I’m looking to build stronger communities, starting with the ones I am a part of.
In the end it’s all about service. I’m glad to do my part in helping it along.
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