To: Attorney General Eric H. Holder, The United States Department of Justice, and President Donald Trump
President Obama: Include Implicit Bias Training in your plan to Strengthen Community Policing
In light of the murders of Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, and innumerable others - we demand that all state and local law enforcement personnel, throughout the country, take part in Implicit Bias Training as part of their ongoing professional development.
Implicit bias is not only present in our police agencies, but as we saw recently in Ferguson, it also permeates our jury selection, jury instruction, sentencing decisions, and the hiring and promoting of those who work within our criminal justice system.
We must curb the effects of this systematic racial bias if we wish to live in an America where our law enforcement officials protect and serve all of our citizens equally.
Why is this important?
The White House released an action plan this week in response to the national outcry demanding justice for the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. While we applaud the Obama Administration for taking action, they failed to reach the root of that which causes instigation between minorities and those in authoritative roles…that root being implicit bias.
Implicit (or unconscious) bias affects our understanding, judgments, and can ultimately impact our actions. While no one is immune to the subconscious biases we accumulate through the course of our lives, studies have found that biases can be reduced through training. The expectation is the courses will lead to fewer excessive force complaints, greater understanding, and a heightened feeling of connection between officers and those they are hired to serve.
Law enforcement personnel and community leaders in Baltimore, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Durham, and Tampa have already undergone trainings to enhance fair and impartial policing and found that for the trainings to be most effective, they must include classes for academy instructors, recruits, patrol officers, supervisors, and top-ranking officials. Additionally, trainings should include examination of biases beyond race, such as: gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, religion, and socioeconomic status.
How many more of our citizens must die at the hands of those sworn to protect them before we force a change? Make your voice heard and demand that Implicit Bias Training be mandatory for all law enforcement officials.