Fostering Cultural Competence in American Law Enforcement: Insights from a Cross-Cultural Cognitive Interview Study

• In Event: Lightning Talk: Law Enforcement: Duties, Performance, and Tactics

Abstract

Cultural competence among American law enforcement officers is imperative, especially in the context of global interactions in 2024. Notably, the current interview training for these officers lacks a cultural dimension, primarily focusing on domestic or Western-centric scenarios. These officers typically received training from their respective academies that focused on interactions within the United States or similar Western countries. Research has highlighted that individuals from diverse backgrounds may react differently when encountering law enforcement personnel. In this study, the cognitive interview, commonly used in law enforcement interviews, was employed to interview participants from both the United Arab Emirates and the United States. Participants were asked to recall encoded data from a crime-scene video they had viewed for the study. The study comprised two phases: one in which participants encoded sensory stimuli and another in which the interview was conducted. Data collection followed a qualitative methodology, utilizing the grounded theory approach. Through rigorous coding, three memory themes emerged: auditory memory, visual memory, and individualist and collectivist memory. The findings underscore the critical importance of cultural competence among American law enforcement officers in conducting effective interviews and investigations. This highlights the urgent need for cultural awareness integration within law enforcement training programs.

Author

• Thomas J. Ropel, Vanguard University