The Impact Of Cultural Diversity On Law Enforcement

The impact of cultural diversity on Law Enforcement has challenges in recruitment, retention, and promotion of police personnel from various racial, ethical and cultural backgrounds. This also makes it hard for police officers to provide protection to the community because some become biased to particular races, age and ethnicities. For example, a police officer that was brought up in a household of KKK members and see a young African American male running down the street immediately he begins to attack, racial profile and provoke the man and eventually it turns into a fight or the young man being killed. In society this is becoming the norm because most officers are found not guilty for killing a young man and plead self-defense. The police official’s professional role is to serve and protect people equally from all backgrounds, cultures and race. Having little knowledge of cultural differences can result in a violation of individuals’ rights. Being prejudice and an officer does not mix. The omnipresence of smartphones with internet connectivity means that citizens are able to report crime and other public safety incidents in real time. (Roberts, 2011) Technology offers an ever-expanding array of benefits in policing by enhancing the efficiency of operations and the effectiveness of programs, empowering the officer in the field, expanding
However, there have been law enforcement related deaths. Many hundreds more are killed annually and these deaths by police are almost always ruled justifiable, even when the victims are unarmed or shot in the back running away. (Phillips, Grant and Sewell, 2014) It is reasonable to assume that some portion of these deaths is attributable to officer mistakes, over-reactions, or deliberate acts resulting in death. (Phillips, Grant and Sewell. 2014) It is rare cases that police departments rule deaths as unjustifiable or charge the officer with manslaughter or