Ensure Equity in Public Safety

In addition, the college's chief diversity officer is now included in all hiring committees for full-time Police Department employees. She serves as an inclusion advocate to be sure the hiring committee is carefully considering all factors and examining their own unconscious biases when choosing candidates. The chief diversity officer also holds regular Quality Improvement Plan meetings with department leadership to examine recruiting, retention and management. As a result of these efforts, the LCC Police Department has seen marked growth in its own inclusionary and equity practices including diversifying its workforce to move closely reflect the racial, ethnic and gender background of the student body it serves.

Beyond hiring and training, LCC has instituted some basic prohibitions to prevent excessive use of force. First, the LCC Police Department has general orders that prohibit profiling. Second, all officers are required to intervene if they see excessive force being used. General orders, of course, do not on their own prevent violence, but they do formalize an expectation, prompt officers to think more critically about their actions, and create a mechanism for reviewing officer conduct.

Where we are going

We are encouraged by the leadership the Police Department has already shown toward diversifying its ranks and training all its employees. We want to build on that progress by intensifying our focus on recruiting and retaining a diverse and talented workforce, as well as enhancing their DEI training. Further, we want our student cadets and novice officers to learn from the experience of our seasoned officers. Therefore, we will create a formal mentoring program to pass on the training and hands-on knowledge already contained within our force.

A critical factor in the success of any police department is creating a communication pathway and a rapport between the police and the community they serve. We hope to establish a robust DEI reporting process with the explicit goal of increasing transparency and building trust. We want our Police Department to be known as a stellar example of culturally responsive community policing. Targeted DEI efforts planned to enhance the Police Department's engagement with the community will include but not limited to:

• Anti-racism Campaign – In partnership with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, create anti-racism campaign entitled "We're better than THAT." This effort will entail a list of pledges, engagement activities and policy changes being enacted within the department. While not all efforts will be completed within a year, they are meant to be the start of a comprehensive plan to demonstrate commitment, transparency and accountability to community policing pursued beyond this action plan.
• Public Policies/Marketing – The department will place its policies for example (Use of Force, required DEI and Bias Trainings, Complaint Processing, and other policing processes) on the department website so that the public can be informed. The department will also enhance its brand and marketing presence.
• Department Accreditation – The department will seek accreditation to hold itself accountable to recognized professional standards.
• Racial Profiling and Data Collection – The department will establish a process for measuring DEI metrics to ensure its methods and procedures are incorporated into the standards and general orders that prevent racial discrimination and support equity polices.