Responding to Pillar Two of the President’s Task Force: Policy and Oversight

• In Event: Recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing: A Closer Look at the Science and Practice of Implementation (Organized by Division of Policing)

Abstract

Pillar Two of the President’s Task Force covers a wide range of recommendations, with police use of force and culture being important elements. With regard to police use of force, agencies need to carefully consider what constitutes “best practices” when it comes to policy making; incorporate a data system balancing need, workload, analysis capability, and accountability; and systematically assess the connection between training, policy, and practice through a variety of outcomes. In relation to culture, police leaders, trainers, supervisors, and scholars need to assess and understand the divergent ways in which officers deal with the various internal and external strains of the occupation. In doing so, acknowledgement should be made of the cultural dynamics that operate within and across the various hierarchical levels of the police organization.

Author

• William Terrill, Arizona State University