Beyond denial: Police-recommended solutions to community policing challenges

Policing has long constituted a public health crisis for Black communities in the United States, and continues to pose a profound threat to the safety and well-bein of community members, underscoring the need to more toward accountability and care. Many societal discourses plaguing the current zeitgeist include addressing what to do about policing. Obtaining perspectives from police personnel is beneficial to increasing understanding of these issues. The current study examined police perceptions of strained police-community relationships through individual interviews with 26 police personnel from a single large metropolitan US police agency. Over half (n = 18) of participants identified as sworn personnel (e.g., police with arrest powers like those working patrol or as a detective). Others (n = 8) identified as civilian or non-sworn personnel (e.g., forensic employees, analysts, instructors). Grounded theory was used to code data, resulting in three parent codes: Observed Policing Harms, Unhelpful Attitudes, and Recommendations for Police Reform. Personnel identified five factors contributing to observed policing harsh on members of the community: (1) policies that afford subjectivity in policing, (2) police culture, (3) training practices, (4) unaddressed police-community disconnect, and (5) police hiring and selection practices. Unhelpful attitudes included statements reflecting thinking patterns that might serve as barriers in promoting better police community relations. Three recommendations for police reform emerged: (1) humanize Black community members, (2) emphasize police mental health, and (3) use restorative justice practices in policing. Addressing the complex array of challenges outlined in this study requires multifaceted strategies that prioritize transparency, accountability, community-centered approaches, and significant cultural shifts within policing and law enforcement. Implementing these reforms is crucial in fostering trust, legitimacy, and mutually respectful and safe interactions and relationships between police agencies and the communities they police. These transformations hold the potential to propel us toward a model of restorative policing.