2024 Lesson 5: Racial Profiling/Improper Bias in Public Safety

This is an online interpersonal perspectives course on racial profiling and improper bias in public safety, designed to promote understanding and respect for racial and cultural differences, and the use of effective, non-combative methods for carrying out law enforcement duties in a racially and culturally diverse environment. This lesson defines racial profiling, examines the importance of training on this topic, and explains how it violates the United States Constitution. The lesson emphasizes the corrosive effect biased policing on the community and the agency. The lesson provides highlights on the latest federal guidelines on using listed characteristics, including race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, gender, etc., in police work. The lesson examines the most recent Attorney General Vehicle Stops Report, summarizes its findings, and explains how individual law enforcement agencies can use the Report to combat racial profiling. The lesson gives examples of best practices to effectively reduce racial profiling and improve community relations. The lesson explains how individual officers and agencies can practice cultural competence as an effective method for building trust and legitimacy in a racially and culturally diverse environment. This lesson has been designed to help satisfy the CALEA standard regarding training on unlawful or improper bias in public safety.