NCJ Number
48909
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 43 Issue: 9 Dated: (SEPTEMBER 1976) Pages: 57-59
Date Published
1976
Length
3 pages
Annotation
BASIC PRECEPTS CONSIDERED BASIC TO ANY SUCCESSFUL MINORITY RECRUITMENT UNDERTAKING ARE PRESENTED.
Abstract
BELIEVING THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IS NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THAT COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT DEPENDS ON HAVING POLICE PERSONNEL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE VARIOUS GROUPS WITHIN THE COMMUNITIES SERVED, MINORITY RECRUITMENT IS VIEWED AS BEING WORTHY OF THE BEST EFFORTS OF ANY POLICE DEPARTMENT. THE MAXIMS FOR RECRUITMENT OF MINORITY POLICE PERSONNEL PROVIDED ARE DERIVED FROM THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE EXPERIENCE OF THE CENTER FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCY ORGANIZATION AND MINORITY EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES AT THE MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL. MINORITY RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IS SEEN AS DEPENDANT ON FOUR BASIC INTERLACING PROCESSES WITHIN A POLICE DEPARTMENT: RECRUITMENT, SELECTION, TRAINING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES (PROMOTIONAL POLICIES, DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES, AND TRANSFER/ASSIGNMENT PROCEDURES). THE FOLLOWING MAXIMS ARE DISCUSSED AS BEING BASIC TO ANY RECRUITMENT UNDERTAKING: (1) COMMITMENT -- INVOLVING A BELIEF BY RESPONSIBLE PERSONNEL IN THE IMPORTANCE OF MINORITY RECRUITMENT; (2) RESPONSIBILITY -- INVOLVING ENTRUSTING MINORITY RECRUITMENT TO COMPETENT, SENSITIVE, AND CREDIBLE PERSONNEL; (3) PLANNING -- INVOLVING A WRITTEN, RATIONALLY CHOSEN COURSE OF ACTION FOR THE RECRUITMENT EFFORT; (4) RESOURCES - INVOLVING THE ALLOCATION OF ADEQUATE RESOURCES TO THE RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN; (5) LOCATION IN THE BUREAUCRATIC HIERARCHY -- INVOLVING DEPARTMENTAL ACCEPTANCE OF A RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN'S LEGITIMACY; (6) BONA-FIDE APPEAL -- INVOLVING THE ACTUAL PROVISION OF JOBS TO SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS; (7) MINDFULLY SELECTED AND TRAINED RECRUITERS -INVOLVING THE USE OF QUALIFIED PERSONNEL WHO WILL CONTACT THE COMMUNITY TO REACH APPLICANTS; (8) A RELEVANT SELECTION PROCESS -- INVOLVING THE STREAMLINING OF SELECTION CRITERIA TO RELATE TO THE ACTUAL DUTIES OF A POLICE OFFICER, WITHOUT SACRIFICING LEGITIMATE STANDARDS OF QUALITY; (9) COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT -- INVOLVING THE INCLUSION OF RESPONSIBLE ELEMENTS OF THE MINORITY COMMUNITY IN RECRUITMENT EFFORTS; AND (10) SATISFIED MINORITY EMPLOYEES -- INVOLVING CONTINUED EFFORTS TO MONITOR THE ADJUSTMENT OF MINORITY PERSONNEL, WHO IN TURN WITNESS THE CREDIBILITY OF ANY MINORITY RECRUITMENT EFFORT. (RCB)