Introduction
As our modern-day society is becoming increasingly complex with many things changing so to must the education and training requirements for police officers in Canada. What all must police officers in Canada change to become efficient in our modern society? Canada has recently seen a surge in immigration to our country which has only added to the diversity of this nation. This means that the police must make sure they are properly trained and aware of our diverse cultures to properly handle all of the people in our society. Frequently police officers have come under scrutiny for the way they handle people with mental health issues. This just goes to show that police in Canada must increase their training on how to handle this group
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of people in our society; furthermore, many people have questioned the level of education of what “should” be the required education level to become a police officer. With the complexity of our society and our laws it is justified that incoming police officers in Canada should have some form of post secondary education before becoming a police officer.
Diverse Culture Training
Policing in Canada is much different from many other nations due to the rich cultural diversity that Canada is blessed with having. The discussion on policing in a multicultural society must be viewed as a much more political question on how to respond to diversity (Ben-Porat, 2007). Policing has a problem when minority groups feel alienated from the Police or when they feel that the police are enforcing discriminating policies and unjust laws (Ben-Porat, 2007). There are many examples in Canada of racial biases on the side of the police. Recently the RCMP commissioner Bob Paulson made a public address acknowledging racial bias in Canadian Policing (Ireland, 2016). Unfortunately, credibility and legitimacy of the police among different minority groups in Canada has yet to be met due to these groups feeling that they have been unfairly treated (Ben-Porat, 2007). Most police agencies in Canada now have some form of diversity training relating to specific minority groups. Another thing that some of Canadas police agencies have done
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well is implementing diversity resources and education initiatives (Calgary Police Service, 2017). The Calgary Police Service has a diversity team which helps foster the relationship amongst many minority groups; furthermore, they help educate these groups on how the police should be doing their jobs and how interaction with the police should go (Calgary Police Service, 2017). Diversity training and diversity resources are just some of the things police agencies must use moving forward. They must increase the amount of diversity training that should be required; however, this training should be mandatory during recruit training rather than making it mandatory after a high-profile incident that has smeared the agencies reputation. Police agencies must increase the amount of training and they must also interact with these different minority groups in a friendly education way to help earn that credibility and legitimacy that all police agencies must earn. Canada will only continue to grow in its diverse culture and the police must be ready to handle all groups fairly, and represent these diverse groups in some shape or form. The police must continue to develop appropriate training from diversity, increase the diversity look of their agencies. Most importantly they must improve if not build relationships with these different communities to gain their trust. Diversity in Canada is something that police officers will always have to deal with and as such is something they must continually build on and increase their effectiveness. Mental Health Training Police officers dealing with people with mental health issues have become more scrutinized lately due to some high-profile incidents. Such as that incident involving two Ottawa police officers and their handling of arresting Abdiraham Abdi who had an extensive background with mental health issues (Jay, 2016). These officers are being scrutinized not only for the force that they used in the arrest, but also in how they handled a mentally disturbed Abdiraham who eventually died from the results of the arrest (Jay, 2016). Incidents like this only go to show how much improvement can be made when it comes to dealing with people who suffer from mental health issues. Our Society is made up of a diverse culture including people from many different walks of life. That incudes people dealing with mental health issues which could be, schizophrenia, bipolar, extreme depression, autism, substance abuse issues etc (Stats Canada, 2012). The amount of times police are dealing with Canadians suffering from mental health issues are also shockingly high. An analysis done by Stats Canada, 2012 found that youths between 15 to 24 years old that were dealt with by police had about an 18.5% chance of having a mental or substance abuse disorder. Also, almost 16% of people who were dealt with by police and identified themselves as being Aboriginal suffered from mental health or substance abuse issues (Stats Canada, 20012). Police agencies in Canada must increase the amount of training relating to acknowledging mental health issues, and the proper way for the police to deal with those people (Nursing Standard, 2008). The police need to increase the amount of training amongst its officers to properly handle these people. One thing that many agencies have looked into is bringing in mental health nurses to provide training and proper awareness to the front-line policing officers (Nursing Standard, 2008). One of the reasons due to the increased issue this is having is due to our modern-day society where almost every action by the police is heavily scrutinized; furthermore, our advances in both medicine and counselling are giving these people with mental health issues more freedom to go out and try and live their lives in a normal way. This created more chances for interaction with police who are not always properly trained on how to deal with mental health issues. Another serious issue that our society has is with addiction issues. Weather that be alcohol or some sort of drug. Many of these people probably are breaking the law in some way or another; however, the police must also realize that addictions are defined as mental health issues and as such they must be handled in a professional way. In no means do should the police or the justice field necessarily give these people a break when it comes to a charge/sentencing. But the police need to be aware of these issues and use their higher position in the community as a role model to try and help these people. One startling issue is the difference in the rate for arrest amongst Canadians dealing with mental health issues. Stats Canada, 2012 found people with a disorder while dealing with police were four times more likely to be arrested. This is perfect evidence that the police do not know how to properly deal with people suffering from these issues. How many of those people arrested should have instead been detained under the Mental Health Act where they would end up getting treatment that could help them. There are many ways in which the police can improve the way that they handle people with mental health and substance abuse issues. More serious training and awareness must be given to these front-line officers, as well as an increased emphasis on using the Mental Health Act when it is necessary. Prior Education for Police Officers In todays modern society policing is becoming more complex than ever. With an emergence on cyber crimes, finical crimes, and terrorism the importance on advanced training and education for police officers is strengthened (Nelson, 2006). Unfortunately, the resources that are needed to fight these specific crimes are not being given to police agencies fast enough; furthermore, many agencies have seen a halt in funding or a drop in funding all together (Nelson, 2006). That lack of proper funding towards police agencies throughout Canada most likely lead to a decrease in the amount of specialized training that is used to fight our society’s advancing complexity of crimes. One tool that many of these agencies can use is focus their hiring of new police recruits on people who have obtained higher education such as a degree, or diploma. In 2013 the amount of police officers hired in Canada only 51% had completed a degree program or had obtained a diploma at the time they were hired (Stats Canada, 2013). That results in 49% of incoming officers having only completed high school (Stats Canada, 2013). Although a high school education is a valuable asset is it really the level of education that should be acceptable when it comes to hiring new recruits? Police officers in Canadian society deal with complex issues and investigations. Daily these officers will have to deal with paper work, ethical decisions, emotional decisions, problem solving, communication with a diverse society. High school although a great education does not provide enough training for those tasks required: furthermore, is the six month recruit training enough to gain all of those skills plus a wealth of others that are required by police officers? Several agencies have started to address this problem requiring applicants who are interested in becoming a police officer to have a diploma or a degree from a recognized institution.
The Vancouver Police Service is just one example who have changed their hiring standard requiring applicants to have a minimum of 30 credits from an accredited university or college (Vancouver Police Service, 2017). Many agencies like the RCMP still only require a minimum of a high school diploma to be hired. Police agencies in Canada need to start changing their hiring process to only look for people who have obtained a diploma or a degree from an accredited post secondary school. If agencies start hiring people who have post secondary education the recruits will be entering recruit training with a wide range of skills already learnt. Canadian police agencies need to look ahead and realize how complex crimes are becoming and start hiring highly educated and trained personnel. Another aspect that will be beneficial to police agencies hiring more educated officers is the appearance it will have on the public. After all the police can only function with the support of the pubic, and many people believe that police officers should have more education than only a high school
diploma. Conclusion Canadian society is becoming more complex than ever. With an increase in our diverse culture to the complexity of crimes that are being committed. Police agencies in Canada have a responsibility to adapt to our ever-changing society. This means that agencies need to increase the diverse outlook of their police service as well as increase the training officers have when dealing with people from diverse cultures. Police agencies also need to recognize the amount of people in Canada who suffer from a mental disorder or have a substance abuse problem. These people are all Canadian citizens and with that they deserver proper treatment. Agencies need to increase their understanding and training when it comes to dealing with people suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders. Police agencies also need to address the education level for all incoming recruits. By hiring new recruits who have an advanced education with either a diploma or a university degree will greatly increase their effectiveness; furthermore, by hiring officers with hirer education can greatly help them when dealing with people from diverse cultures, and people who are suffering from mental health and substance abuse disorders.
This relation believes that the “law shapes --and is shaped by-- the society in which it operates (Elizabeth Comack,2014) As people our interactions and experiences are administered by our social positioning in society, and that social location is conditioned by three key elements: our race, class, and gender. These three elements have been used to divide, separate and categorize society. (Comeck,2014) . Racial profiling is something that I believe is extremely evident in Canada. Racial profiling is defined as targeting individuals for law enforcement based on the colour of their skin, which can lead to practices like carding. (Chan, 2007). Carding is a police practice that involves stopping, questioning and documenting people in mostly non-criminal encounters. (Chan, 2007) Stopping people on the street for no reason to ask them who they are, and what they are up to is outrageous and can have fatal consequences. On September 24, 2014, at 10:00pm Jermaine Carby was sitting in the passenger seat of his friend’s car while out for a drive. They were pulled over for a traffic stop in Brampton by a Peel police officer. This police officer went around to the passenger’s side and asked Carby for his identity so he could card him. When conducting this street check the officer discovered the Vancouver had a warrant for his arrest. Allegedly, this is when Carby started threatening officers with a large knife. A knife that witnesses nor
Wortley S., Tanner J. (2003). Data, Denials, and Confusion: The Racial Profiling Debate in Toronto. Canadian Journal of Criminology and Criminal Justice, 45(3), 367-389.
Authors of this document had written an evidence that proves the tensions between the minorities and the police. In their article, there were unanswered questions of the behavior of the police. Statistics were involved explaining how characteristics of police and communities affect the incidence of filed complaints on police violence. There were two hypotheses on threatening minorities made relatively to complaints. These authors had made analytical theories behind
Choudhury and Fenwick (2011) argue that as a result of increased policing and stop and searches, more members of minorities are subjected to prejudice and discriminatory views from law enforcement which has heightend distrust amonst minorities with the police force as laws are seen as being unlawfully implicated amongst members of their minority group as a result of their race of religious
Comack, E. (2012). Racialized policing: Aboriginal people's encounters with the police. Black Point, Nova Scotia: Fernwood Publishing.
Over the past centuries, Black community in Toronto have encountered and persisted violence and discriminations in many different ways. Racial profiling and carding are the two major roots of police brutality. Police officers often have biased perceptions and negative feelings about certain races. Carding can be defined as random police checks that target young African-Canadian men. Police might detain a driver for driving a specific type of vehicle or driving in certain areas that they have assumptions about. “This practice was a systematic violation of the rights of people in our communities, especially of racialized youth” (CBC ABC National, June 1, 2015). Carding results in police abusing their power which leads to assaults, shootings and death. However, police have said
Police reform should start by giving proper training to the new recruits and veterans in the force. During their training, “Law enforcement agencies should adopt and enforce policies prohibiting discrimination based on race, ethnicity immigration status, etc.” (Cops, p.90). It is apparent
This paper will show four different police departments that are currently hiring or recruiting for police officers. There will be a summary on the research found on the process used to recruit police officers. It will also show their current hiring trends and what hiring practices they have that are successful or not successful. The paper will also go over the different methods departments use to train their new officers and their values.
The ability of police to exercise discretion was originally designed to allow officers to maintain the peace by allowing certain types of crime to remain unpunished in certain circumstances. This essay will aim to explore the issue of police discretion that suggests that the application of discretion works against the interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In drawing this conclusion, this essay will examine the relationship between policing ideals and the use of discretionary powers and the relationship between policing attitudes and the use of discretionary powers. A discussion regarding the use of police discretion towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples can scarcely be mentioned without making reference to arguably the greatest failing by a police officer since indigenous Australians were formally recognised as citizens. Further to this, the case of Mulrunji Doomadgee (Cameron) will be examined from the point of view of officer discretionary powers. The penultimate point to be made will involve the Anglo Australian response to this case as well as the ongoing relationship between indigenous Australians and the institutions that govern them. As mentioned, the first point will involve policing ideals and their relationship to discretionary powers.
Dr. Weisburd makes a point on how not only we need to fix crimes that are lurking in the streets, but also how money and time needs to be spent on training these officers. In order to have a successful team is to have a strong army, which is done with the right amount of training done. As Dr. Weisburd believes this can be another key factor in benefiting for the community to know officers are highly trained and not having poorly skilled
Throughout the years, issues have been brought up whether a police officer have the proper education or level of training to perform the job that the public have entrust them with. As many individuals know, education is an important qualification that employers look for nowadays. The question arises whether law enforcement agencies should require their officers to possess a two-year, or a four-year college degree along with a police academy certification in order to become employed as a police officer. Additionally, other issues arises of whether an officer’s education level play a major role in their ability to understand and protect the rights of the public they serve. Critics may often argue that an officer without any type of education
This includes whether or not police departments feel that this type of training is necessary. Sometimes police departments will not offer this type of training until and unless they are convinced that it is actually needed. They are sometimes unwilling to make the commitment to spend money, time and personnel to accomplish this. In cases like this, cultural sensitivity training should be made mandatory for every police department that way there is no longer the factor of trying to convince administrators and supervisors of its importance. Another obstacle is gauging how well officers grasped the information and skills during training, and how that will convert into how effective they work out in the field. An easy way to explain this would be to compare it to a college course. Student A gets an A as his overall grade for the course, while student B receives a C as his overall grade for the course. Both students pass the course and seem to have some knowledge about what was taught. If these were officers, both would be allowed to work out in the field, but whether or not the officer that scored higher actually does better than the other officer how scored lower is yet to be found for two reasons. Firstly, being able to pass exams with high scores does not necessarily mean that they comprehend more, it may mean that they are better at memorization and test taking. On the other had
Police psychology is broadly defined as the application of psychological principles and methods to law enforcement. With the popularity of television shows like Criminal Minds and Law & Order: SVU, the job of a police psychologist has become more well known and even popular. As seen on these shows, a police psychologist can be helpful in profiling a criminal, but they also provide many other services to the members of a police department. Although the development of this field has a long history, police psychology as a separate entity is still relatively recent and growing. This intimate relationship between psychology and law enforcement can be traced back to almost a century ago.[1] It first developed out of a need for a variety of psychological services in the law enforcement field, including screening applicants and counseling during grief and stress situations. In the time that it has been around, it has proved to be a valuable resource for the law enforcement profession.
The readings presented unique practicalities behind policing. I have learned that future forecasting is necessary to understand different trends so we can predict how it will impact future crime rates. I liked how the reading broke down different factors that might contribute to the increase in crimes. Addressing the futures wheel, it looked at past crime rates from 1984 to 1994 where the increase in crime rates resulted from gangs, drug trade and the necessity to use firearms in order to protect their possession of drugs.
On Tuesday, September 23rd, I had the opportunity to do a ride along with the Takoma Park police department. My ride along was quite interesting. I rode with Officer Carl, a twenty-six-year-old officer who has been with the police department for six months. During the ride along we engaged in so many conversations concerning his work routine, and some the important things to be aware of as a police officer. Officer Carl and I were about the same age group so I felt much comfortable talking to him. Before I went for the ride along I had a different perspective about police work, I thought police work was much amusing and entertaining, but after the ride along with Officer Carl, I have realized that there is much more to police work and it often