Law Enforcement Education Reform: How Do We Train Culturally Competent Police Officers

• In Event: Racism Under the Microscope: Abolition, Digital Lynching, and Defining Roles and Responsibilities

Abstract

George Floyd a Black male, was killed by a Minneapolis police officer. Just four years earlier, Philando Castile, an unarmed Black man was fatally shot by a police officer. This requires a serious look at how police officers are trained, particularly in Minnesota. Minnesota State educates approximately 80% of police officer candidates in the state through its law enforcement and criminal justice programs certified by the Peace Officer Standards and Training Board. To ensure these programs address issues of racism, social justice and produce culturally-competent graduates, Minnesota State created a Taskforce on Law Enforcement Education Reform and a Faculty Community of Practice. This study will examine the effectiveness of these groups in creating programs that produce culturally-competent police candidates.

Author

• Satasha L. Green, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities