If you want public order, the public needs to cooperate with the police. Cooperation creates opportunities for information-sharing, leading to a safer environment where police can patrol safely without suspicion. And if you want the police to create a bond with the community where collaboration is reliable, there has to be a sense of mutual respect. Trust – the belief in reliability – is a two-way street, and it takes work to get there.

In spring of 2022, in response to declining numbers on the Global Trustworthiness Report noting only 41% of Americans felt the police were trustworthy, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) launched a global campaign to reverse the downward trend. This “Trust-Building Campaign” started with a pledge – a promise to complete a list of 25 policies and practices over 36 months in six key areas:

• Bias-Free Policing
• Use of Force
• Leadership and Culture
• Recruitment, Hiring, and Retention
• Victim Services
• Community Relations

 

Since launching the campaign, 120 police agencies have signed the pledge. To date, ten percent of those agencies have completed them. In a nation with about 18,000 agencies, only twelve have followed through.

So, why are the numbers so low?

• Agencies are struggling to fill positions, and that means less people to write, review, and implement new practices.
• Policy changes in police departments often require approval from their municipal government in charge, and many of those offices are slow to make political decisions while they poll the constituency.
• Police training is complex and, when done right, takes time away from already low-resourced shifts, expert curriculum, technology to implement, and trained instructors to get results.

It’s no wonder such a daunting list of requirements becomes a low priority for agencies just now beginning their journey. Fortunately, a few had an advantage. Of the agencies that have already completed their trust-building requirements, it’s no surprise Danville Police Department in Virginia was ahead of the pack. They’ve been practicing de-escalation, unbiased response, and strengthening community relations efforts for several years with their MILO simulator.

 

Build Community Trust Faster with MILO

If you’re in a law enforcement agency and you’re interested in signing the IACP pledge and completing the trust-building campaign requirements, connect with us. We have the tools that can make it easy, including the only evidence-based counter-bias training method in the law enforcement industry and a groundbreaking initiative for community policing. MILO simulations also provide verbal proficiency training and de-escalation training, allowing officers to build and hone interpersonal and communication skills in order to better listen to and engage with the communities they serve.

And if you’re in a municipal government looking to help your police department build trust, we’ll be pleased to connect you with our partner agencies on that list of 12 who have been successful in building trust in their communities with MILO.

 

 

For more information, please view our guide: How Leveraging MILO Simulation Training Can Help Your Organization Fulfill Its Pledge.